Waxing Crescent
by Pastiche Pen
Summary: Everything is set for Renesmee. She has love, immortality--and an attitude. If only her rebellion didn't have horrible consequences... Post-BD.
1. Chapter 1: Schooling a Half Vamp

_Disclaimer: Twilight is the total property of Stephenie Meyer._

**Intro Note:**

I wrote _Waxing Crescent_ because I wanted to read a Jake/Ness story that fit my conception of Renesmee post-BD. Because what a fascinating character, right? How the hell do you become a proper well-adjusted adult when your dad can read your every thought? when you've never been human? when you're not really a vampire? when you prefer to _show_ your thoughts instead of speaking them? And then there's this whole thing where your hot best friend is your auto-soulmate...

Anyway, the "M-rating" comes from 1. violence 2. foul language 3. limes/lemons. These first several chapters are mostly about establishing Nessie as a character. Be patient, and around chapter six or so, the pace picks up _very_ quickly. (Because in enters the villain.) So read on!

* * *

_**Chapter One – Schooling a Half-Vamp**_

* * *

_Bella's Point of View_

"Mom, you're limiting me. Without these formative experiences, I'll never grow into a fully actualized adult." Renesmee had both hands on her hips as she looked up at me.

I did not look up from my book. There was no point. _"Formative experiences?"_ I had no idea where she picked up that bit of jargon, possibly from talking to Carlisle... Reminding myself that this behavior was simply _normal_, I assured her, "You will grow into a fine person, Renesmee."

She glared back at me. "Sorry, mom, but since I'm only a half person to begin with, I don't have high hopes."

I set my book down, taking a deep, calming breath and smiling. "You'll be full grown in only a year, and your father..." I trailed off because the sentence simply did not require completion. Edward would flip.

She shook her head dismissively, though. "Dad can deal. I want to go to school. I want _friends_. I want to talk with girls my own age. Besides, I've slowed."

I started to turn to leave, but she flew across the room, this time grabbing my wrist and letting the images flash through_. Vampire. Human. Werewolf. A seven year old human. A fourteen-year vampire. No connection. No one like her. The odd one. The ugly duckling._ She was about to launch into comparison to her favorite Greeks and Russian tragic heroes, but I silenced her.

"Renesmee—_enough_."

She finally paused. I shook my head and sighed, staring into her eyes.

She'd gotten quite terrible since Jacob had left for Stanford in August. Her growth rate had seemed to really slow for a few months there, and we had been able to convince him he could leave. Of course, soon after he left Nessie had shot up a half foot, and the hormonal flood gates had opened. Her body seemed to have condensed all of the usual pubescent angst into a three month long series of eruptions. Nor did it help that she was more brilliant than any teenage brat should have the right to be. I really could have used Jasper right now. . .

"I want _human_ friends, too. Everyone here has experienced human life except me. The closest I ever had was with Charlie and Sue—but I still can't see Charlie for another decade until my body matches my should-be age."

At the mention of Charlie, I grimaced but pushed aside my memories and forged ahead with a mother's determination. "Human relationships are hard dear. They aren't immortal." She was refusing to look at me now. "Nessie. Why don't I invite Nahuel and his sisters to visit? Especially, Estela—she's pretty much your age."

Nessie rolled her eyes and put a single finger up to my chin, popping an image of one of my grade school photos juxtaposed with a full-grown Estela.

"Oh, come on, Nessie. You know what I mean."

"Mom, I do, but you don't seem to understand what I mean. And I _would_ like to see Nahuel, Estela, and Nulpi. Maybe not so much Lican—but that's beside the point. The point is I want to go to school. I love my family, but I need space, mom. This isn't normal.

"Being a teenager is mortifying enough. Normal girls get embarrassed enough when they start changing, but I live in a household of _zero_ privacy. Everyone in this household _knew_ when I started my period. They could _smell_ it. And while they are sufficiently respectful enough to not comment on _that—_Emmett can't help himself but make the 'occasional play by play' when I go to the bathroom. Yes, I did think that was funny when I still wearing bows, but it's just moronic now. Let alone being a half-vampire and having your dad hear your every thought, your uncle leave you half-comatose every time you _express_ yourself, your best friend leave you. . ."

At that point, she burst, tears flowing down, and I wrapped her in my arms, letting her sob. "Oh, Nessie. I crooned. "You know all young women go through this stage. I used to blush beet-red every time I had to go in the drug store with Renee to buy the 'lady-things,' as she called them, and Jake will be back soon. It's almost Christmas. Besides, you wanted him to go."

She pulled away from me then. Her jaw was still set, but she was slightly calmed. "Jake is beside the point right now. Mom, I want to go to school." She look to the side and muttered, "And then I'd be able to join Jake at Stanford in a year or two anyway."

I threw my hands up in the air. "Fine, Nessie. No promises, but I will talk to your father—though I won't mention the last part."

She nodded, and as I walked away I couldn't help but notice that she looked rather smug.

* * *

Convincing Edward was not as difficult as it might have been. I think he was far more wearied by Renesmee's regular outbursts than I was. Choosing the school, however, was something else.

"We are not sending her to North Spring High. I don't care how close it is. You know she won't learn anything there.

"Oh, Edward." I shook my head in frustration, and picked up another brochure. "And why not St. Mark's? Besides, they have uniforms."

I realized quickly that I should not have said that. Edward released a disgusted growl. Emmett burst into laughter, and Jasper just started shaking his head. Alice stared at me, horrified. I could imagine the word _uniform_ was not in her shopping vocabulary.

"Bella," Emmett choked. "I don't think putting your angelic daughter in a Catholic school girl uniform is going to, eh, help alleviate Edward's fears about teenage boys and his daughter. Now, if _you_ wanted to put on a little tartan print, I'm sure Edward wouldn't..."

He didn't finish his sentence before Edward lobbed a pencil at him—only to be caught by Rosalie as she flitted past. "Honestly, Bella," she chimed, "just send her to Eastwood. Girls-only. She said she wanted girlfriends, right? And then we can _mostly_ eliminate the possibility of Edward butchering an entire population of teenage boys for ogling your gorgeous daughter."

"Eastwood?" I asked, staring my wearied husband in the eyes.

"Eastwood," he agreed.

I couldn't help but notice that my family looked positively relieved.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2: Eastwood Academy

Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Not me.

* * *

_Chapter Two – Eastwood Academy_

* * *

_Renesmee's Point of View_

My father insisted on taking me to school the first day and every day after. He wouldn't let me drive. He wouldn't let me run. _Bloody everything_. I was technically sixteen, and I was fast. He could hear these irritations in my head of course, and therefore, decided to go into another round of "Let's-Remind-Renesmee-about-the-Rules."

"Renesmee."

_Oh no. Here we go. Serious dad tone._

He ignored the thought and continued, "Vanessa Masen. Born May 5, 1995."

I continued his thought in my head, eyes rolling. _My parents Carlisle and Esme Masen are away on extended post in Japan—and therefore I'm staying with my father's younger brother, the annoying, overbearing Edward Masen and his just as painfully parental _new_ (by vampire standards, anyway) wife Isabella. La dee dah dee dah. I know this dad. Do you really have to walk me _inside_?_

He shrugged and hopped out of the new Volvo and into the parking lot. "No one is going to believe I'm your father anyway, so I'm truly sorry if I don't feel devastated for ruining your coolness quotient."

I didn't even get a chance to explain my fears before they were realized. Three girls were at the edge of the lot, leaning against a shiny red beamer. They were gaping at my father.

Even though we were across the parking lot, we had no problem hearing it when the tall bottle-blond leaned over and half-whispered to her friends, "Abercrombie and fuh-uck me now." Her darker friend snickered but did not take her eyes off of my father. The paler, chestnut haired girl behind them simply looked embarrassed.

_Thanks, dad. Yeah, great job bringing me to school. Ew. Dad, you see, this is why you really…_

Before I could insert another insult, my father had jerked me forward at barely-human speed and was marching us both up the steps to the administration building.

Huh. They must have been thinking even worse things to have pulled this response out of him. His mouth tightened at my thought, before marching me into the office. I really hoped he wasn't rethinking the whole Nessie-goes-to-school thing. . .

He marched straight up to the front desk, and spoke brusquely. "Good afternoon, I'm Edward Masen. This is my niece Vanessa Masen. And this is her first day of school. She needs to be registered."

His irritation must have been seeping through, because the poor front desk lady just blubbered something that was not a word, and proceeded to drop the entire stack of papers she was carrying.

_Great job, dad. Way to go vamp on her._

He gave me a stony look, and we both proceeded to gather the flying papers.

_Let me handle this._

I grabbed the pile of papers from him before handing them to the woman. "Vanessa Masen?" I queried.

"Oh. Oh, yes, dear. So sorry. New student. Gotcha right here. Masen. Vanessa Masen." She did not move her gaze away from the line between me and her desk, purposefully avoiding my father's gaze. "Oh, yes. Right here. Your schedule. And everything else seems to have been taken care of. So here's your schedule, dear. And there's to be another student—oh, good! Right on time. Here's your welcome student. She has her first class with you. This is Abigail Walker."

The chestnut-haired girl from the parking lot had entered the room. She looked still looked embarrassed, but she had a warm smile on her face. "I'm Abby," she greeted. She smelled like strawberries with a tinge of pine.

"Nessa," I replied, surprising myself by how shy I sounded. I had already decided on Nessa. No teenage girl should be addressed as "Nessie" if they didn't have to be.

Then the lady at the desk called Abby over and I had a brief moment with my father.

"Are you going to be okay?"

I gave him a wry smile. _Of course, dad._

He looked towards Abby. "She seems nice. Much better than those other young ladies. . ."

_Don't worry, dad. _I paused staring at his face. _Oh, holy crow, you look like you're really upset. _

"Hush." He put his fingers to my lips. "Just promise me you'll be safe and smart. Alice will be keeping an eye out—as best as she can, anyway."

"Sure. Sure." I said aloud as I turned back to the front desk.

He half smiled and half grimaced. He knew where that line came from.

Before following Abby out the door, I gave him a big hug, and followed her, knowing my father's agonized gaze was following me down the hall.

* * *

Class with Abby was really nice. She asked me a few questions on the way to class, before introducing me to the teacher, Ms. Carter, who assigned me a seat next to Abby.

I even liked the reading choices for my first class, Literature and Composition. They were all works in translation. I liked the authors: Tolstoy, Hugo, Kafka, and Borges dotted the list. Sure, I had read half of the book list, some in their original languages, but I had really enjoyed them, so I was rather sure that the rest of the selection by Ms. Carter would also be worthwhile.

In class they were discussing, _So Long a Letter_ by Mariama Ba. It was a completely new experience to see how my classmates responded to the text. Very odd. Very human. The thought of anyone in my family betraying their beloved was completely foreign to me. Yet, I wasn't sure that my family was even normal. Domination was a set part of the vampire world. I thought of the Amin and his mate, who we had visited in Egypt. Amin was not happy to see us and still refused to touch me. Even if I was three feet higher than the last time he had seen me. Joy. And the empty relationship between Jasper and his former mate, Maria. I know I wasn't supposed to know about that, but I heard mom talking to Alice about it one night, and couldn't help but listen for a brief bit… Huh. I'm not sure it mattered though. No human man-thing could really control me. I could split him up and fold him into a pretzel, not to mention the whole draining him until his last drop part.

As we walked into our German class, I couldn't help but notice that the bottle-blond from the parking lot was sitting with her dark-haired pal in the desks in the back of the room. Ugh. Embarrassing. The blond spoke up first. "So, Abby, are you going to introduce us to Goldilocks, here?" She turned to me. "New girl. What's your name?"

I stopped, trying to decide whether being called Goldilocks was a compliment or rudeness to the extreme. Abby stepped in and introduced me. "Alyssa, May, this is Vanessa Masen."

I piped up then, "Nice to meet you. Please call me Nessa."

They gave me a very strange look. Odd. Like they were trying to assess me.

The darker one leaned forward. Her scent caught me. She smelled like plumb blossom and limestone. "I'm May Li. This is Alyssa Bernard. And pleeeeazzzze tell me. Is that shirt Seb Lam? And second, was that sexy man who walked you in your boyfriend."

"Uh, as far as the shirt goes, I'd have to check the label. My aunt bought it. And my lovely _uncle _is happily married."

Alyssa, the dyed blond, raised her eyebrow as if to say, Oh, really? before continuing, "We thought you looked related. Same hair color, facial features. I would have thought you'd had a really good colorist, but then you both had the exact same hair—like one of those colorized 1950's flicks, where all the women have brilliant bronze hair and ruby lips. Hmm. I'm not sure that even my colorist could really mimic that—especially with curls. Very fucking pretty." She flashed me a very full smile.

"Hmmmm… Abigail, do you think Nessa should join us for lunch?"

"Yeah. I already invited her."

Alyssa smiled up at me from her desk, while twirling her hair. "Oh, how thoughtful. Well, we'll see you at lunch then."

Then, Mr. Kern marched in yelling out instructions as he walked to the front of the room.

* * *

Abby walked me to lunch with Alyssa and May Li. "Nessa, how are you enjoying your first day so far?"

"It's really good. Eastwood is great."

I couldn't help but notice May Li snort in the background. She smiled and added, "Well, except the total absence of all things male."

"Well, to be honest," I responded, "I'm not sure my father was keen on sending me anywhere Y-chromosomes might be present. He's a little ridiculous."

"Yours, too?" Abby chuckled. "I think mine is hoping I'll 'git me to a nunnery.'"

I laughed in response.

I followed them to the lunch line, and I gazed about looking for anything that was remotely appetizing. I had promised my parents to eat human food, which I did on my own on occasion—like the time Jake challenged me to an all-you-can-eat steak challenge. Rare steaks, of course. Jake beat me, but then again, I think if I'd eaten anymore, the entire restaurant would have signed a collective petition to have me hospitalized. Jake had been so funny, then. Jake. Crap. Don't think about it.

I picked up something that resembled pasta and added extra meat balls. At least I wouldn't want to gag on those. I had barely sat down when I noticed May Li not sitting down but standing behind me. She pushed my mass of curls around my shoulder and pulled on my shirt's tag.

"Seb Lam. SEB. LAM. Not a knock-off. I knew I saw this shirt on the fashion week site." She started squealing.

Oh dear. This was as bad as Alice.

"My aunt picked it out—she's a bit fashion obsessed."

It seemed like May Li had not heard a word I said. "Nessa. You're wearing _art_. How much did that cost? How did you even get it? They aren't even filling orders yet. Are you sure it's not…"

She paused and started examining my shirt more closely. "No its hand-stitched here, exquisitely hand-stitched." She paused again, taking a long breath, her nostrils flaring. "Nessa, you smell really nice. Floral. Mmm." She leaned in closer to me, smelling, her hands pulling on my shirt's tag.

"My God, May Li," Alyssa cut in. "Please stop trying to pull off Nessa's clothes. I don't care whether it's because you covet her shirt or her yumminess. She doesn't seem to want you to strip her publicly, and the lack of males at this school should not be driving you to assault the new girl."

May Li pinkened. I knew I looked confused. Abby chuckled.

May Li sat down next to me, grabbing my hands. I jerked slightly, so she just caught my fingers.

"Sorry, Nessa. I didn't mean anything by it. It's a really beautiful shirt, and you look really perfect in it." She flushed again. I'm not sure she had meant to say all of that.

Alyssa was clearly annoyed with the conversation, so she finally cut in. "Abby, I'm still waiting to spill about your date this weekend."

Abby smiled softly and proceeded to tell us her impression of Brandon, a senior at St. Mark's.

I smiled and listened in. This was really nice. No dad listening in. No vampire blood sucking. Just human stuff.

Might as well play my role. I forked a meatball and took a bite. I almost spit it out. Garlic. Nauseating. I would really need to go hunting tonight.

* * *

Rosalie picked me up after school, and I couldn't help but notice an overly curious Alyssa peeking in our direction as I hopped in the car. When she saw Rose, she looked somewhat disgruntled. Hah. That was funny.

As we were driving away, Rose noticed my expression. "What's up?" she asked, before giving the car a rev. One of the best things about Rose, she really knew how to work a car.

"I think she was hoping my _uncle_ would be here to pick me."

Rose didn't miss a beat. "It happens to all of us dear. Nessie, it's not like you haven't been getting those looks since the summer began." She affectionately brushed the top of my nose and one of my corkscrews with her fingertips. "My beautiful little goddaughter, turning into a beautiful young woman." She sighed, and then perked up. "So, got any hot male teachers?"

I immediately blushed. "Auuuuunnt Rose…"

"Oh, come on, Nessie. Edward is not hovering over your every thought at the moment, so you can feel free to be perfectly open with me."

"Well, we'll see about tomorrow. I think I saw two men the entire day, one of them was my fifty-year old, bald German teacher and the other was a prune-faced priest, so I think my dad will be happy."

"Yes, do tell him. It'll cheer him. He's been misery the entire day with you gone. Pacing. Fretting."

"Ah, yes, the usual."

"Exactly." She chimed. "Well, don't worry Nessie. You won't be alone on Christmas. Guess who is coming?"

I patted her cheek, and the image flashed into her mind. _Jacob._

"Ugh. Yes, the dog is coming. But I was talking about a _being_ without the stink."

"Who?"

"Nahuel and Estela, and the Amazons, too."

"Oh, good! I haven't seen them in ages, especially Zafrina."

"Ah, yes, two years, quite long age."

"I was at least a foot shorter."

"Yes, and you didn't have those lovely curves, then, either. I wonder how Nahuel will respond to those. He isn't named after a jungle cat for nothing…"

I smacked her arm and let the image of my outrage seep into her mind.

Rosalie laughed.


	3. Chapter 3: Disturbed

Disclaimer: The entire Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Not me.

* * *

Chapter Three - Disturbed

* * *

_Renesmee's Point of View_

My evening hunt couldn't come quickly enough. As usual, I insisted on going alone—which bothered them, but what could they do about it. I promised not to stray too far and keep my cell on me.

The cell phone was the point.

As soon as I was out of my father's "hearing" range, I dialed the number. It rang twice before the line clicked and a deep, resonant voice asked, "Nessie?"

Joy bubbled up in my throat. "Hey, Jake!"'

"How was school? Bite anyone?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha" I mocked. "Jake, you do know, as nice as everyone smells, you're the only one I ever bite."

"Of course. Only me."

"There was this incident today, though, with this girl, May Li, she wanted to know who designed my shirt, and then kind of started petting me. I don't think she meant to. And this other girl Alyssa started making fun of her. It was weird."

"What's May Li like?" He asked with a very controlled tone.

"She's really pretty, I think. She told me her mother is from Japan. Black hair, cut at a sharp angle across her chin. She smells like plumb blossom and…"

Jake cut me off. "Ok, changed my mind. If you want to nibble on the girls at your school, that's totally fine by me."

"Ew, Jake. Is that what you're doing at Stanford, watching girls nibble on each other?" I tried to keep my voice even, but I think he must have detected something in it.

"No." He was changing the subject. "Although I'm starting to think that Leah could use some girl time. She had a date on Friday, you know."

"I didn't. How many bones did she break?"

"Well, apparently he asked if he could call her Tiger Lily."

"Oh, no."

"Yeah, she didn't get the connection right away. She asked why. And then he said that Tiger Lily was the hot Indian princess from Peter Pan. Leah was about to show him 'how to fly,' when Seth came into the room and stopped her from tossing him out the window."

"Huh, so the yoga and the kids aren't helping that much?"

"Well, she's been taking a few Native American Studies classes, as a part of her scholarship, and I think she's even more sensitive, if that were possible."

"But she really seems to like her teaching assistant job? She really seems to love her kids."

"She does."

"Well, tell her I said 'hi' and to give you a few jabs for me."

"Sure. Sure. So any hot teachers I should know about?"

I hissed. "What is wrong with everyone?! No. No hot teachers."

"Yeah, I figured your dad would have already done a sweep, anyway."

"Of course."

We talked on like this for a while. Jake was still figuring out what to major in. He couldn't decide whether to pursue history, fine arts, or something more technical—like engineering. He thought it would be cool to not just assemble, but design cars. It was only when the moon started becoming increasingly visible that I realized I needed to head back.

"Moon's up, my friend."

"Says the half-vamp to the werewolf."

"They'll be worried. The Volturi could still snatch me any second, you know?"

"Not funny, Nessie. Tomorrow, then?"

"Same time, miss you."

"Miss you, too. Bye." And we hung up.

I still had to hunt. There were coyotes nearby in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence National Park—but I ignored them. Too much like wolves. I followed a trail to a pack of caribou to the east, and downed one quickly before heading home. I knew I had better hurry back. There wasn't cell phone reception in this part of the park, and dad would be flipping out.

I flew through the valleys and stopped only as I came in sight of St. Claire, our home. Esme had been delighted to discover the nineteenth century French villa. I had been shocked to learn how long it had been unoccupied, but apparently the foundation on the east side had been begun crumbling, and the realtors had been unable to sell it, due to the repair costs. Esme bought it without a second thought. While the costs wouldn't have been a barrier, we didn't feel the need to waste time on contractors either. Emmett, Carlisle, and Jasper had simply lifted the structure, while the rest of us had repaired the damage. I think we had done a better job than any contractor could have managed.

Now, it was perfect.

I ran through the antique rose hedges toward the carriage house, where mom, dad and I had our rooms. I padded in through the stone arches before stopping short.

Not again.

There they were. My father and mother, on the dining room table in all their glory, totally lost in each other, and most assuredly, behind my mother's mental shield.

No wonder they hadn't heard my entrance or my thoughts.

As I fled to my room, I heard my mother swear. "Crap. Renesmee." Then total silence.

When my mother entered my room—dressed, this time—there was that subtle, stressed pinch above her eyebrows. I'm not sure human eyes could have detected it.

She swung her arms. "So, Nessie. Well, we didn't mean for you to see that. I'm sorry, but," she paused, " your father and I talked, and now that you are a certain age, there are a few things that you should be aware of."

I was not going to open my mouth to have this conversation. I put my finger on top of her palm. _It's not the first time I've seen this._

I flashed the thoughts into her head. _My waking up late at night in the cottage, hearing her screams, running to help her, seeing her on top of my father. Not in pain. My silent flight out the door. Jacob. Showing Jacob. Crying. Asking him to explain. His laughter. Rolling on the floor laughter. 'You're mother was enjoying herself wasn't she?' More laughter. Fury from me. Confusion. And then Jacob had finally explained. He had explained perfectly, not making me feel uncomfortable, just making me feel safe. Answering every last question._

"Huh? He would do that, wouldn't he?" She looked slightly irritated. You know, Nessie, normally it's the mother who gives the sex talk, not the wooly best friend."

I shrugged. _Well, it didn't look like you wanted to be interrupted to chat._

Her brow creased. She looked a little embarrassed.

"Nessie, when you showed Jacob that image. He wasn't upset at all, was he?"

_Quite the opposite, as I showed you._

"That's good, love. I wouldn't want to hurt him. And there was a time, when I was human…"

_Ugh, sure, sure. Jacob told me about it. Dad left, and you two were close, and he had a huge crush on you. I know, mom._

But then I pulled my hand away from hers, because I was starting to feel confused. I had been just over four years old when Jacob had told me the story. I had been probably about the size of a human ten-year old. His story had not bothered me then. When he told me he had kissed my mother, I had thought it simply gross. I had been more intrigued by the fact that she had punched him and broken her hand. I couldn't imagine a world in which my mother could be broken by anything.

But now, I didn't think the kiss was gross. It was unsettling. Jake didn't kiss anyone now. I would have known. We told each other everything. That meant he hadn't kissed anyone since my mother. They were still really good friends, especially for a vampire and a werewolf, and he definitely didn't seem to be bothered by the image I showed him, but there was no reason why he should be around so often. Yet, he was always there. Always when I needed him.

_Mom, _I returned my hand to hers. She was eyeing me critically. _Why did Jacob stick around after you married dad? _

Her brown tensed, and she looked down. "He wanted to help."

I snorted. Like vampires needed help.

"He was worried about Charlie."

Hmmm… good not but not good enough. She was trying to hide something.

Then Edward strolled into the room. My father was a good actor, but I could tell from his eyes that he was still slightly embarrassed by the previous "incident," although clearly also rushing to help my mother assuage my thoughts. _Nice, dad. You know, you can get of my head. I've seen more than enough of you today. I don't think you need to see anymore of my thoughts._

"Nessie, bed."

_Yes, bed. Maybe you should have thought of a bed before defiling the dining room table. I know you don't eat there, but I have on the rare occasion._

He closed his eyes and controlled his face, ignoring my thoughts, before repeating his words, "Nessie, bed."

I made sure to stomp my feet harder than usual as I stormed to my bedroom. Unfortunately, one of the large flagstones cracked. _Crap. Crap. Crap. _I shut my door with more care, before crawling under the covers.


	4. Chapter 4: Interrogations

Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm belong to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Chapter Four - Interrogations

* * *

For my second day at school, I insisted that if my father was going to drop me off, my mother was coming, too. Sure enough, as we pulled into the parking lot, Alyssa and May Li were leaning against Alyssa's red coup, watching. I groaned internally as I gave each of my parents a quick peck on the cheek. My mom was looking about curiously.

"Huh, Nessie. It's funny how much you wanted to come here. I can't help remembering how I disliked most of high school. Well, that was until I finally met your father." They were smirking at each other now, clearly moving toward a kiss. I groaned and reached to put a palm on each of them.

_Save it for home, please? _And then I turned and walked toward the academic building.

Alyssa and May Li managed to catch up with me. "Does your entire family look like they stepped off a runway?" May Li asked breathlessly.

"Yeah, I was practically shitting myself when I saw the blond pick you up yesterday—I thought she was the 'wife,' you were talking about, and then goddamned Snow White shows up this morning. I'm surprised IMG hasn't signed your whole damn family."

I shrugged. I didn't know what to say. Sure, my family was beautiful, but they were vampires. Vampires were beautiful, but there was no way I could simply explain this to my friends. Luckily, Abby showed up at that point.

"Abby, could you help me with an English question?" I faked. Really, I needed no help. I'd read the story in French last night, after breezing through the English text during one of my class breaks yesterday.

She pulled my hand, leading me away from my two interrogators. Alyssa's face matched that of a child's who had just lost her ice cream cone.

* * *

Lunch time was not much better. I think I gave them the entire pre-plotted dossier for the Masen family. I kept trying to distract them, but Alyssa and May Li were persistent.

It took Abby to change the subject. "So, Nessa, tell us about your boyfriend."

I lost my controlled expression. I turned tomato red.

May Li and Alyssa noticeably brightened with interest. "Who is he?" piped Alyssa.

"I don't have a boyfriend," I muttered, looking down at the table.

"Hmm," May Li pondered, examining my face. "Ex-boyfriend?"'

"I've never had a boyfriend."

Now all three of them positively gaped at me. Alyssa swore.

"I didn't have time to meet anyone. We were always traveling." I tried to explain. No need to tell them that I hadn't even had breasts until a few months ago. "Besides my parents are a little overly protective, especially my father. Have you all had boyfriends?"

Now, they all looked like I had smacked each of them across the face. Then, they all started shaking with laughter.

"Well, this will be fun," smiled Alyssa.

"What will be fun?"

May Li smiled conspiratorially at the other two, before answering me. "We will take care of you, Nessa. This weekend is too soon. Alyssa and I will be out of town, but next weekend should be perfect."

I glared at her suspiciously. "Perfect for what?"

They all raised their brows at me again. I couldn't understand how these girls were so perfectly on the same wave length. It was like being around my parents or Jasper and Alice.

Alyssa winked at me. "Don't worry Nessa. We'll get you a good one."

"A good what?"

"A _man._" May Li rolled her eyes in exasperation.

I reddened, again. "No, you guys, please. Really."

But they ignored me. They were positively gleeful now.

"Abby, what about Brandon's brother, Matt."

"Girlfriend."

"What about Kevin from North?"

"Gross, May Li. You always like the ones who should be walking around with bags over their heads."

"Well, that six-pack counts for one and the biceps count for another."

"And the face is a negative two."

May Li stuck out her tongue at Alyssa before continuing. "To each her own. Best just to let Nessa choose, anyway. Just gather a hoard of them. Let her be queen bee. Your house, Abby?"

"Sure, I guess. My parents will insist on being there."

"Fuck that." Alyssa rolled her eyes. "We'll have the party at the lake house. A little holiday bash. My parents won't care."

May Li already had her phone out. Her fingers were flying furiously across the buttons. Suddenly she paused. "Nessa, you will be there, won't you?"

I still hadn't said anything. I liked meeting new people. I always had. My parents had always kept me so contained, secreted away, but I knew there was no way I could gain their permission without a fight.

"I'll ask."

It was all I could promise. It was a good thing that vampires could not have coronaries, because I'm rather sure my father was going to lose it the second her heard my question.

May Li nodded her head and continued to furiously dispatch messages from her phone.


	5. Chapter 5: Convincing

_Disclaimer_: Everything in the Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_**Chapter Five - Convincing**_

* * *

Alice was picking me up after school for a shopping trip in Quebec. I had to meet her at the convenience store around the corner, because she was taking her new sky-blue Porsche. My rear had not hit my seat, when the car was already roaring out the lot. Normally, it would have taken two hours from my school, but of course, we arrived in twenty minutes.

"So, Auntie Alice?" I pleaded as niece-like as possible.

"Yes, I can see him destroying half of the orchard already, Nessie. Can't you put it off? For Esme's sake? Those apple blossoms are positively divine in the spring."

She stopped and turned toward me. I reached down to put my hand in hers. It was still hilarious to me how much taller I was now.

_He doesn't want anything to change. He's a vampire-dad. But I need to grow-up. I need to do things on my own, even if that means socializing with human teenagers._

"You need to do what you need to do. I need to find you a new outfit. I know I've seen you wear that shirt before." She began marching into the closest boutique, but I kept my hand on her shoulder.

_What do I need to do?_

"Convince your mother first. You know she's the only one who can sway your father, but I didn't need a vision to tell me that."

I let go of her shoulder and followed her into the boutique. She was right, after all. I was sufficiently grateful for her advice that I allowed her to talk me into a week's worth of new outfits, including one that might be a good fit for the party.

_Will it look good if I wear it to the party?_

She groaned at me. "Nessie, you know I can't see you in your future."

_But you can still see the future around me. You can see the reactions of the people around me._

"Well, that doesn't change a thing, Nessie. No matter what you wear, all of those boys are going to drool all over themselves."

"Really?" I said aloud, brightening. I think I must have looked a bit superior.

"Oh, Nessie, try to hide that facial expression when you're attempting to convince Edward. It won't go over well."

_Edward. Dad. Right._

* * *

"No. Absolutely Not."

I had not even put my foot past the threshold, and Edward was there, arguing with my thoughts.

"Dad, I _need_ to go."

"Nessie, we've come too close to losing you in the past. You are too unique. I am _not _going to tolerate anything dangerous."

"Yes, I am a freak. I'm well aware, but, come on dad, I am not that unique. The Volturi already made it down to the Andes. They took care of Joham. They let Nahuel and the rest of them alone, and Alice has a trained eye on the Volturi. We would see if they were coming."

He closed his eyes, his face turning into a statue. "No."

I stormed away from him, sweeping down the hall to the library to where my mother sat in her favored chair, reading. She was studying up on French now that we were in Quebec. I sat by her side, putting my hands on both sides of her face. _Privacy, please?_

She set down her book and sighed. She looked me in the eyes before nodding. She tensed and looked down, before staring back up at me. The shield was in place.

"Okay, Nessie, what is it?"

Her shield was the only way to have private conversations in the house without my dad hearing. As long as I communicated wordlessly, and my mother whispered, we could talk alone without having to take a three-mile jog.

_One of my friends is having a holiday party. She's specifically organizing it for me. Dad's flipping out because male life forms will be within a hundred mile radius. I really want to go, mom. I really like these girls._

"Take it easy out on your father. He misses you already. He spent most of the afternoon just staring at the piano."

_Aw, mom, that's kind of sweet in a really annoying way. I've only spent fifteen hours of the last forty-eight at school. I'll bang out some Mozart with him this weekend. But seriously, none of that is a reason that I cannot participate in normal teenage activity._

"You know, I never really went to any parties as a teenager."

_Sure. Instead you sucked face with a vampire. I'm sure if you'd given your parents the choice they would have traded a whole lot of substance abuse and poor decision-making for a little less proximity to the razor sharp teeth. Seriously, mom, this level of control is oppressive. Am I a daughter or a doll?_

Mom rolled her eyes at me. "You go too far Renesmee. I am willing to consider your request, but first I ask you to listen to me. While I believe I understand _your_ reasons, I am not fully sure that you understand _our_ reasons."

_Sure. Fine. I'll listen._

She continued, "You need to be sure that you will not harm any humans."

I snorted._ Oh, please, mom, I've never even come close to accidentally biting a human. Besides Jake, I've never bitten a human._

She raised an eyebrow at me quizzically, and I felt like I was missing something. She continued on anyway. "Also Nessie, I don't think you recognize your own vulnerability. There are those who would hurt you, and also, we've had you for such a short amount of time. In a normal world, I would still be dressing you in jumpers and braiding your hair." Her eyes grow very soft as she said this.

_Aw, mom. I love you, too. But in the normal world, I wouldn't exist, so you can't follow the normal rules. I am your half-vampire, half-human daughter. You all handle the whole vampire part without a hitch, but now I need you to acknowledge the human part._

She shook head, before throwing her hands up in the air. "Fine. I'm willing to talk to your father, as long as you abide by certain conditions."

I was gleeful and trying not to overdo it. _Sure, anything, mom._

"No drinking. No funny business. If the dance floor is crowded, then no dancing. Keep your personal space. Also, one of your aunts or uncles must be within hearing distance."

I groaned at that one before perking up. _Can I choose?_

"Yes, but they must accept."

_Cool. No problem, then._

She gave me a final exasperated sigh, before standing.

"Go to the carriage house, Nessie. I need to talk to your father."

I nodded and fled down the hall and across the courtyard to the carriage house. I flew up the steps to my room and sat by my window, staring at the apple orchard that covered the upper valley. It was rather lovely. I did hope Alice was wrong.

Finally, I heard it, a long growl followed by a cacophony of discordant notes released on the piano in the grand room. Finally, the discordance reshaped into an angry Shostakovich piece, and I let out a sigh of relief. He would probably be brooding for a few days, but then again, my dad wasn't happy without_ something_ to worry about.

No matter. I sniffed. Esme would be happy. The orchard was safe.

* * *

Jacob was not particularly pleased about the party either.

"Teenage boys are nothing more than slimy, testosterone-driven cretins. Their sole drive in life is to get some. Don't let them get their crummy little paws on you—because _they will try_. Watch your drink so that they don't slip anything into it."

I sighed, exasperated. "Really, Jake. If anyone tries to put anything in my drink, I'll be able to smell it. If they actually try to grope me, I can just backhand them across the room. I can take care of myself."

"Nessie, I don't know…"

"I do know. This is what I want."

"I'll be there in only three days. Can't you wait?"

"No. I won't _wait_ to go to the party, and also, I _can't wait_ for you to get here! I haven't seen you in, like, four months, two weeks and three days."

"Hah, I can't wait to see you either. Nessie, are you _sure_ about the party? Do really need to go man-hunting?"

"_No._ I'm not interested in the "man hunting" aspect. Kind of gross when applied to me, anyway, right?"

I imitated a bad 1950's horror film voice, "_Blahhhh! Renesmee the scary man-hunting blood drinker! Run for your lives, or she'll tempt you into becoming her next meal! _Huh, then again, that's kind of the Denali sisters' thing, huh, except no blood-drinking? Whadya think of me picking up man-hunting, Jake?"

"I think not. Nessie, the party sounds like a bad idea."

"Jake, I'm not sure how to explain it to you in the right way. I really like these girls. I'm having a lot of fun just figuring them out. I'd like to be their friend outside of school. I'd really like to _know_ them. I'm not sure I can do that if I'm only ever trading trigonometry tips with them at lunch."

"You like them more than me?"

I snorted and laughed. "Be reasonable, Jake. You know I like you best."

There was a funny pause on the other end of the line.

"You're right, Nessie. You should go. "

"Thank you. Your flight gets here on the seventeenth, then?"

"Yes, the things I do for _you_. No man with a height even close to seven feet should ever have to fly coach."

"No problem, Jake. Mom will upgrade you."

"No. No. No. I'm taking neither your family's money nor your frequent flyer points. I'll deal, just leave it on the tab, between this and the red-riding hood shenanigan, you owe me _huge._"

"Oh, please, Jacob. You _loved_ that. Besides, what girl with a gigantic wolf-friend wouldn't want to play little red riding hood? _Everyone_ loved it. Rosalie had so much fun stuffing you into that grandma outfit, and Leah made such a good woodcutter. I suppose she did get a little overly enthusiastic with the axe, though."

"Yeah, I was lucky to be in my wolf form, so I could escape. I almost lost both forepaws."

"You know Rose still takes joy in recounting how you looked when you phased back—the image of you in that enormous, droopy pink dress and ruffled grandma bib makes her laugh every single time."

"That so? I have a new blond joke."

I groaned.

"Why did the blond stare at the orange juice box?"

"I don't care."

"Yes, you do."

"Why, Nessie?"

"I don't know," I huffed. "Fine. Why did the blond stare at the orange juice box?"

"Because it said, _concentrate_!!" Jake was rolling with laughter at his own joke, now. Typical.

"Nice, Jake. Yeah, I think I'm going to avoid telling my godmother that one."

"Dang, and I bet she'd love it, too. Well, I have to go, and you need to hunt, so talk tomorrow?"

"Sure. Sure. I miss you."

"Miss you, too. See you soon."


	6. Chapter 6: Lunacy and Libation

_Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer._

* * *

**_Chapter Six – Lunacy and Libation_**

* * *

I ended up negotiating with Alice to take me to the party. I couldn't possibly bear to ask either Carlisle or Esme—no matter how young they looked—_they were my_ _grandparents_. Emmett had actually begged to be allowed to take me, but I had point blank refused. I suspected he would try to embarrass me in some way. Not Rosalie, because I knew she would _hate_ waiting, nor Jasper, who did not need unnecessary temptation.

In exchange for playing the chaperone, Alice got to play Barbie with my person. She made me try on at least ten different outfit ensembles. We finally agreed on a silk sea-green top that Alice decided contrasted nicely with the red-gold in my curls. I had barely gotten the top over my head, when she knocked both of my feet out from underneath of me, so that I fell onto the bed. Then, she was shoving black leather pants onto my legs. Before I could complain, she threw my cream winter coat at me and began shoving a four-inch silver heel onto my right foot. While I was fixing the other shoe, she attacked my hair minutely, before giving up and letting it lie natural and loose, so I wouldn't be "too formal." Then, she unexpectedly rushed me out the door, keeping an unfathomable expression stretched across her face.

Then, Alice and I were off in the Volvo. She threw two rows of uneven bead necklaces at me, commanding, "Put them on."

She kept the weird look on her face until we were at least ten minutes away. Then she took a deep breath and turned to me, apologizing. "Sorry, Nessie. Earlier, I saw what would happen if Edward saw you in your outfit. Let's just say that if I had given him a chance to really think about it, you wouldn't be going."

"Right. Wow, thanks Alice. What were you thinking about to keep him out?"

"I was pondering the spring season's shoe collection—Macomber has an especially inspiring collection, but I am still trying to decide whether or not feathers make any sense at all for shoes in the spring. Feathers are so ethereal and delicate—but you should never completely divorce function from fashion, and _if only_ the house would simply make certain chemical adjustments. I know they are not particularly _green, _but—"

"Alice, we're here." I cut her off before she could go into further detail.

"Of course, dear. Do enjoy yourself. I will be right here." She parked the car along the line-up that led up the drive. Then she plopped a stack of corporate fashion catalogues into her lap. She began flipping through the pages while simultaneously punching emails into her PDA. Before I could close the door, she warned, "Oh, and watch out for the ginger with the crooked teeth."

I took a deep breath, and stepped into the frosty night, not that I felt in any way cold—I was always quite toasty warm—but I could still see my breath freeze as I took in my surroundings.

Alyssa's lake house was a four-room structure set on the bluffs overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It was a modern structure, concrete, steel, and only a touch of wood. A trail sloped down from the back of the house toward a pair of docks at the base of the bluff.

When I knocked on the front door, I was greeted by a chorus of squeals and hellos, as Abby and May Li covered me in a collective hug.

Abby chimed, "Nessa! I am so glad you came. You look so cool—"

"Where did you get that shirt, Nessa? Are those shoes vintage Prada?" May Li was focused entirely on my apparel. "Oooh, look at the whole view. I get it. The beads, the coat, the leather pants—so Janice Joplin. Hot."

Then, Alyssa walked up, flanked on either side by two twenty-something guys. They were both staring at me appreciatively. I noticed one of them raise his hand up to wipe his lip. Was that drool? No. No way. Huh, then again, I do have vampire vision, maybe Alice was right…

"_Someone_ knows how to make an entrance," Alyssa teased. "Anyway, Nessa, this is my brother Quinn and this is Luke. They are both up from McGill for the holidays."

Quinn, drool-man, stepped forward then, taking my right hand before flipping it over and letting his lips touch the top of my wrist. "Charmed," he murmured before releasing my hand.

Abby, Luke, and Alyssa burst into astounded laughter. Apparently, this was not the normal way to greet a young woman at a party. May Li, though, was strangely quiet.

Luke elbowed Quinn in the side, before walking toward me. "I'm so sorry Nessa. He's already drank half the keg, and there's no asking reason from him. If you come with me, I will get you a drink."

I nodded and then followed him through the crowded room into the kitchen. I vaguely recognized about a quarter of the people I saw—girls from Eastwood. I didn't recognize any of the guys.

The counters in the small kitchen were buried in bottles. Two large kegs were set up in the corner.

Luke waved his hand across the collection, "Beer, crappy table wine, or some sort of cocktail—there's nothing fancy, but I could mix you a gin and tonic or a Blood Mary?"

I chuckled unexpectedly. "Bloody Mary?"

"Well, this would involve V8 and hold-your-nose vodka—now, if you wanted a proper Bloody Mary you'd take tomato juice, good vodka, a celery stick, a crack of fresh pepper, and dashes of Worcestershire, horse radish, and Tabasco."

"I will have to try that soon, but tonight, I think I'd just like a soda."

"Ah, one of discriminating tastes, I can appreciate that. Would you like a lime with your coke? Do let me feel like I can be of some service."

I nodded, smiling. Luke was really nice, not pushy, friendly.

Then I felt the presence behind my back.

I turned around to see a large, powerfully-built red-head staring down at me with a most ridiculous expression spread across his face. Without reason he clapped his hands together and fell to his knees, declaring to the whole room, "Am I dead, Angel? Cause this must be heaven!"

I just gaped at him. I did not know what to say. He had crooked teeth.

Alyssa was there then. She smacked him on the side of the head, declaring, "Oh, go knock off in another room, Kevin! Can't you see your scaring her to death? Nessa, might just go and join the angels if you pull a goddamn stunt like that again. Come on Nessa, let's get you that drink."

She pulled me forward to where Luke was standing with my coke and lime, tears flowing down his cheeks as he tried to suppress his laughter. Alyssa continued to fume, "_My. Dear. God_. Why did May Li have to invite him? She's so short she must never to have bothered to have looked up and see what a fucking half-witted ogre he is. We're lucky he didn't try to lick you—or worse. He did that last time…"

Luke handed us both drinks then.

Alyssa looked up smiling. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Your usual." He smiled back at her.

"Thank you, Luke. At least there is one gentleman present."

"I try, anyway."

"Follow me, Nessa, I'll show you around." She did, then, introducing me to almost everyone present. I could not help but find myself liking her more and more. She reminded me of Rosalie in some ways— crasser and less vain, perhaps, but equally fiercely loyal and charming. There was a protective element to her nature. As we mingled, I could not help but notice her gaze continually flicking in Luke's direction.

"You like him don't you?" I asked when I caught her in another stare.

She just nodded. "Since I was twelve."

Huh, did love start that young?

"He's really nice. Have you told him?" I stared over at Luke. He was chatting with two Eastwood seniors in the corner.

Alyssa was also staring. "He's my brother's best friend. He's always been my brother's best friend. It's a little difficult when your brother threatens to mulch anyone you date. He's at college now, but that doesn't help when the one you want is his roommate."

I said nothing not knowing what to say.

"You know what? You're right Nessa. Quinn has absented himself. Who knows what the fuck he's making out with? Maybe it's my time to seize the day?" She lifted her drink, then, draining the entire glass. She crunched the plastic cup in her fist and tossed it into the nearby trash can. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Why don't you talk to Abby for now, Nessa? It's about time she came up for air, anyway." With that, she marched forward to the corner where Luke and the two girls stood.

She stared down both girls with such intensity that they instinctively backed up and left, before turning her gaze to Luke.

Huh, cool. Just like a vampire stare.

Not wanting to eavesdrop, I walked over to where Abby and Brandon were curled up on the couch. Abby disengaged herself from Brandon as I approached, smiling at me with a friendly, happy expression. "Oh, Nessa, I'm sorry if I've been neglecting you! This is my boyfriend Brandon."

We said our hellos and were happily engaged in small talk, when Abby gasped.

"Oh, no! Poor girl."

I followed her stare to see Alyssa with her hands clasped around Luke's neck, kissing him passionately.

I didn't understand Abby's exclamation until Luke put both hands on Alyssa's shoulders, pushing her back.

I could hear them clearly, despite the noise from the party.

"Alyssa, no. You're too young. Your brother."

"Who gives a fuck about my age or my brother, right now?" She pushed his hands aside and kissed him again.

He pushed back harder now.

"Alyssa. _Alyssa_. I said _no_."

Her hands fell from him then.

"I see," was all she said, and then she fled out the back door.

Luke covered his face in his hands, while his whole body slid down the wall.

"I was afraid this was going to happen," Abby said.

"It's my fault. I asked her about him. I asked her why she hadn't told him…"

"No, Nessa, it is not your fault. This is Alyssa we are talking about. Patience is not her defining characteristic. I should go after her."

"No, no. You stay with Brandon. I'll go get her."

Abby nodded then. I was about to charge out the door, when Abby reminded me, "Nessa, your coat!"

I grabbed it. Even if I didn't need my coat, Alyssa could probably use it. She had left without hers.

I stepped out the back door and into the night. Noises were coming from docks. I followed the stone steps that led down along the face of the bluff, following the sounds.

When I reached the base of the dock, I jolted to a stop. From where I was standing, I could see in through the lit portal windows of the large boat tied to the dock. It was not Alyssa.

The boat was rocking, and through the window, I could see May Li and Quinn knotted together in a tight and clothes-less embrace.

I took a deep breath, then, letting my sense of smell reign out. I could smell Alyssa—magnolia and hawthorn. She had been here, and she had seen her brother and her friend, and then she had run again. Her scent ran east around the bluffs toward the forest.

I ran at my full speed now, quickly rounding the edge of the bluff.

I choked, losing my breath, and almost falling.

The scent had changed.

There was a new scent in the air.

_Vampire_.

* * *


	7. Chapter 7: Pursue and Embrace

Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This is just my doodling.

* * *

_**Chapter Seven – Pursue and Embrace**_

* * *

_I ran at my full speed now, quickly rounding the edge of the bluff._

_I choked, losing my breath, and almost falling. _

_The scent had changed. _

_There was a new scent in the air._

_**Vampire.**_

I did not pause to think or fear. I was running away from the river bluffs and into the forest. My hand flew to my phone pressing the buttons as I raced.

From hundreds of yards away, I began to see a blur taking shape, and then I could see both figures in a moonlit glen.

He had just lain her down. She was unconscious but not yet hurt. He was moving for her neck.

And then his head snapped up, and he was flying at me.

Our bodies crashed together in the air. My force was not enough to counteract his. He was much larger than I was, and I was still not fully grown. We fell heavily onto the forest floor. I managed to jump back, only to have him pin me against an ancient oak. The tree shuddered and groaned against our superhuman pressure but did not break. I was caught.

Two feral red eyes stared into my soft brown ones. A look of shock quickly replaced the intense stare of the hunter.

"What's this?" He starred uncomprehendingly into my face.

I snapped my teeth at him, but he smacked my face away.

"Oh, have some manners, if you please. You just interrupted my dinner—very rude of you, you know."

"She's my friend," I gasped.

"Ah, I see. I suppose it would be somewhat rude to drink someone's friend, but I must explain. We were not previously acquainted, so there was no way I could know she was your friend. I am Olivier, by the way. Won't you tell me your name?

When I didn't respond he continued, as if I had. "Also, I should explain that I was very, very thirsty, and your friend smelled positively luscious. Plus, she _looked so sad_, out there on that river bank. You see, I imagined I was doing her a small favor."

"You!" I gasped, but he grabbed my jaw so that I could not speak.

"I would think twice about trying to bite me. If I bit you back, I think _you_ would the one at a disadvantage. Are we square on that?"

I gave a weak nod.

"Hmm. Now, you see, you are a mind-boggling creature—so exquisite. I see those milk chocolate eyes. I hear your heart beat. I taste your ethereal scent." He breathed in deeply then, running his nose down along my neckline.

"What is _that_ _perfume_? I smell a splash of freesia, lilac, and …_that_… what is that? I've never smelled it on a _vampire_ before… Ah, yes, _Orchidaceae_." He chuckled to himself. "_Intoxicating_.

"You know, I think I've lost interest in my dinner…"

Unexpectedly, his eyes changed from red to black, and then his lips were on mine. His kiss was rough and aggressive. His lips forced mine open, and I felt his icy tongue chartering the back corners of my mouth.

In the first instant, my body shut down. I think I might have stopped breathing, and then I felt his palms moving upward under the silk of my shirt, and my defenses acted on their own accord.

My hands flew up to the back of his neck. He did not try to stop me. I suspect he must have thought I was enjoying myself.

And then I attacked.

I let the images swarm his brain. I pushed my images to take over his sight. _My face crumbling into ashy pieces before his eyes. My mouth opening. A serpent sliding forth from my ashen lips, raising its head. Ready to strike. My hair searing, a flaming backdrop._

He jumped back from me, a strangled noise in his throat.

I also jumped, putting myself in the line between him and Alyssa's pallid figure. My instincts were in disarray. My instinct to run was battling my instinct to protect.

He turned toward me and his expression morphed from horror to humor. "And talented, too, to top it all," he mocked. He was moving towards me again.

And then the wind changed, and he was gone, fleeing into the river.

_Alice._

Alice fired through the woods, a speeding comet. She braked to a stop at my side. She took it all in: Alyssa in the glen, my personal disarray, the marks on the oak, and the lingering scent of my assailant.

"Is he gone?"

I nodded. "He attacked Alyssa. I pursued. Then, he defended, and I lost." I pointed to the ancient oak.

My adrenaline from the attack was starting to fade, and I was beginning to get a hold on myself.

Then, it hit me. That, _that, that_ vampire—_Olivier_—had kissed me. He had tried to _murder_ my friend and then he had _forced_ his tongue down my throat. _My first kiss_. Fury ripped through me, and an angry growl escaped my throat.

Alice was taken aback. "Why do I feel like there is more to your story than you are telling me?"

I glared at her.

"Nessie, don't hide from your auntie Alice. Show me."

I held my palm out to her, not looking at her. She took my hand, and I let the events of the evening unfold in her mind. Her forehead was furrowed as I showed her my story.

"I don't like it, Nessie. It was normal for him to retaliate when you interfered with his hunt, but the kiss bothers me."

_It bothered me, too._

"I'm worried about him fixating on you. You know how fixed vampire natures are—especially when it comes to our mates." Her eyes fogged momentarily. "And I can see him in your future, now. No where distinctly. It's too blurry, but he's already decided he wants to see you again."

I groaned. _I can assure you, I have no desire to see him. By the way, why didn't you see me?_

"First of all, you could have hollered my name while you were still near the house. Second, Nessie, you know you are so hard to _see_. By the time I saw you in pursuit, my phone was ringing. Regardless, we should get out of here. You will need to return your friend to the party."

We bent down over Alyssa then. She felt a bit cold and had a bump on the back of her head, but nothing serious. I fit my coat onto her before lifting her easily into my arms. Then, Alice and I sprinted out of the woods towards the house.

As we approached, we split up, Alice running up the hill to get the Volvo, while I ran up the steps, slowing as approached the dimly lit porch. I let Alyssa droop in my arms then, so it looked like she was hugging me, and then I swung the screen door open.

There was a collective gasp from the room. Luke, Abby, May Li, and Quinn rushed toward us. Luke reached me first and took Alyssa from my grasp, cradling her head and lifting her into his arms.

"Is she okay? What happened? Where was she?"

"She was down by the beach. I think she slipped on a rock and hit her head."

"We need to get her to the hospital," Abby said.

"I'll get the car," Quinn volunteered, already headed out the door past me. May Li followed him.

I turned to Abby then. "Abby, I have to go. You have my number. Can you call me when you hear from the hospital?"

"No problem. Don't worry about it, Nessa. I'll tell her you found her."

"Thanks, Abby. Talk to you soon."

* * *

The villa was noiseless when we parked the car. It was only when I entered the front room, and my family took in my appearance that the tumult started.

"Somebody's been rolling around in the bushes," Emmett laughed before anyone could say anything.

But then my father was there, clutching me tightly in his arms. "Alice, Nessi, who? Nessie, who attacked you?"

The room was suddenly dead quiet.

I repeated the words to my family that I had stated to Alice, "My friend Alyssa left the party. A vampire I've never met attacked Alyssa. I pursued. Then, he defended. There was a scuffle. He ran away when Alice showed. Alyssa is fine. She was unconscious through the whole thing."

"A scuffle? Is that what you're calling it?" My father's nostrils flared. "That monster _attacked_ my little girl."

Alice interrupted then. "Edward, calm down. He wasn't trying to hurt her. If anything he trying to do the opposite…"

This comment did not help calm my father. He could see the image—the kiss—that I had showed Alice. His rage was murderous. "I am going to kill him. I am going to rip him limb from limb and then I'm going to—"

My mother interceded at that point. She wrapped her arms around both of us. "Love, nobody is going to kill anyone right now. Our daughter needs sleep and comfort. Edward you are going to take Nessie to bed. Sing her to sleep. I'll join you in a minute."

Dad sighed then, nodding. He gently took my hand and led me to the carriage house. He said nothing but I could feel his worry emanating from him.

When we reached my room, I slid under the covers, and he adjusted them so that I was tucked in.

"Are you okay?" he asked, kissing the top of my head, and stroking a strand of curl.

"I'm fine, dad. More mad than anything. I can't believe my friend was attacked."

"You're not going into shock?"

"I'm half-vampire, dad."

He sighed before muttering, "And the other half of you wouldn't have gone into shock either…"

"Love you, dad."

"Oh, Nessie, I love you more than you can know. Do you want me to sing you to sleep? Keep the nightmares away?"

I giggled like a little girl. "Yeah, sure. Keep the nightmares away."

He smiled softly before beginning to hum one of the trio of tunes he had composed for me when I was still merely a toddler. This tune in particular had always made me think of sunshine and springtime and dancing. I closed my eyes and let the sweetness of my father's melody lull me into sleep.

* * *


	8. Chapter 8: Visitation

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Disclaimer: It all belongs to the mighty S. Meyer--not me.

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**_Chapter Eight - Visitation_**

* * *

When I woke up in the morning, my mother was sitting on the edge of my bed, stroking my hair. When she saw my eyes flutter open, she reached both arms around me, pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheeks, nose, and forehead.

"My little Nessie. What happened to the little girl I could fit easily into my arms? Now she's a young lady with boys macking on her." She popped a cool fingertip on my nose.

"Mom," I groaned groggily, before reaching up to her face. _That hardly counted as "good ole macking on me." It was kind of horrible, actually._

"I know," she nuzzled her face in my hair. "Alice told me how you got away. That was good thinking. I didn't even know you could do that."

_I didn't know either, and I didn't really think. I got mad and it just kind of came out._

"Anger does seem to help with expressing talents. It helped me figure out mine."

I nodded.

"Nessie, I know you probably don't want to show everyone everything, but can you show me?"

I took a long breath. _Shield up?_

She nodded. "I was here all night, actually. I was protecting your dreams. I thought if your father heard them…"

_Good thinking, mom._

I couldn't recall any of my dreams but I was rather sure that they weren't pretty.

I refocused on her request. _You ready, mom?_

And then I let her have it, the entire series of events from the previous evening.

"I like your friend, Alyssa. She handled that red-head well, didn't she?"

_Oh, mom, I need to see her, or at least call. I never found out how she was doing._

She pulled my phone off my bureau and handed it to me.

I picked it up, dialing Abby. She picked up on the first ring.

"Nessa?"

"Abby, Alyssa, is she okay?"

"She's fine. She's fine. She's at Lawrence-Pierre." I gave a sign of relief. Carlisle worked at Lawrence-Pierre.

"Thanks for the good news, Abby. How long will she be there?"

"I think they are keeping her there under observation until late this afternoon."

"That's good to know. Are you okay, Abby?"

"Oh, don't worry about me, Nessa. Are you okay? We never got a chance to talk last night. I still have no idea how you managed to get her up to the house."

"Eh, it took a while, but I managed. I think I'm going to see Alyssa, today. Will you be there?"

"I might, or I'll just see her later this evening."

We said our goodbyes then and hung up.

I turned toward my mother with pleading eyes. _Mom, you want to go to the hospital with me?_

She brushed the hair out of my face affectionately. "Between Carlisle and me, I think you should be okay to go, although I think you might want to invite your father, too."

_No problem. Will do._

* * *

Mom, dad, and I arrived at the hospital by noon. Carlisle met us at the front desk, having already signed us in.

"I went ahead and checked on your friend, Nessie. She's faring well. The trauma to her head was relatively minor. I think it may have been shock that actually made her faint. She also has some bruising on her upper arms, but nothing that won't fade in a few days."

I smiled affectionately at my grandfather. I couldn't imagine a better person in the entire world to care for Alyssa. I gave his hand a squeeze. _Thank you, grandpa."_

"You're most welcome, Nessie." He pointed. "She's just down the hall, this way." We walked down the hallway to Alyssa's room. My parents and Carlisle took up spots in the waiting room to the side, while I gave a knock and opened the door.

Alyssa was lying in the far bed by the window. Luke was sitting by her side. They were both staring into each other's eyes, goofy smiles on both of their faces.

Why did I always seem to be the one to walk in on people?

I started to back up and close the door, but Alyssa looked up, then.

"Nessa!" She cried. "Oh, Nessa, come here. You turned out to be a saving angel, after all? Just like Kevin said!" She snickered at her own memory.

"Hi, Nessa," Luke smiled at me in greeting, before turning back to Alyssa. "I'll be back in ten, okay? I think I'm going to hunt down some Cheetos." He kissed her hand tenderly before exiting the room.

I waited for the door to close, before turning my face toward hers, my eyebrows raised.

"So?" I asked, taking the chair that had been Luke's.

"So?"

"So you're positively beaming, Alyssa! And I think a certain someone who just walked out the door might just be at the bottom of it…"

"Oh, Nessa!" she covered her face with her hands. "I'm so happy. I don't even know how to tell you. I think you're one of the few people I can tell."

"Well, tell me, then."

"Luke stayed with me all night by my bedside. He didn't go home. When I woke up in the morning, he was here. He told me…" she took a deep breath. "He told me how horrible he felt when he saw me last night, and of course, I told him I didn't want his damned _guilt_, but then he told me that wasn't the reason. He told me _loved_ me, Nessa. He _loves_ me.

She continued, "_That idiot_. He said he was afraid of not being good enough for me. I had never realized how hard it was for him, Nessa. I feel like such a sheltered, bratty, rich little fool."

"Alyssa, you're nothing of the sort."

"Oh, but I am Nessa—not that you notice those things. You never seem to, at least. You don't notice money, like everyone else does. You've never even asked about how my family has multiple houses. My father is the CEO of Petrosol-Canada, Nessa. I've never wanted for anything. I've always had it served to me on a silver platter. My brother is the same way—excerpt worse—I think.

"Luke is not that way, though. Luke went to boarding school with my brother but on scholarship. He received another scholarship to go to McGill, and now works full time to make up the rest. He _earned_ his internship at Petrosol—by his own merit, not by my father's appointment, like my brother. He's so _good_. And I almost ruined that for him last night. If my brother had seen… If he had flipped out…"

"But he didn't see."

"No, he didn't. I saw him, though, screwing May Li. More than I ever wanted to see. Did you see them, too, when you came to search for me?"

"I saw them."

She nodded. "That's why I can't tell May Li about this. She's so fucking head over heels for Quinn. She'd tell him everything. I didn't realize how damn serious she was about him. It's not good, though. He's bad for her. Quinn is never serious about any girl. I wonder if she knows that and knows what I'll tell her, and that's why she hasn't told me…"

"So, how are you going to make it work—with Luke, I mean?"

She blushed, "He asked if we could just take it slow. Get coffee and ice cream and stuff like that. He said he'd be happy enough to just spend time with me. He said he's liked me for forever—since I dumped orange juice all over him at my fourteenth birthday party. I was mad. He wasn't paying attention to me." She blushed again, before bursting into giggles.

I giggled, too. It was contagious.

"Ah! _He loves me_! I can't say it enough."

I took her hand then, smiling into her face. "I'm so happy for you."

She smiled back at me, radiant. Then, the door opened again. Luke was back.

"I found the Cheetos," he quipped, smiling.

"I think I'll take my leave, now, but I'll see you on Monday, Alyssa?"

"Monday," she confirmed.

And then I left the two of them to their happiness.

* * *

When I finally talked to Jake about the party, he was beside himself. He _phased_ while talking to me on the phone. He lost control, and he _phased_. His voice suddenly cut out on the phone and all I heard for two minutes was snapping and growling until he phased back. Luckily, he was walking in the woods, but still, it was a totally ridiculous response.

"Aw, Jake, that has to be your last pair of sweats. It's a good thing you're in La Push. How would you have gotten back into the dorm?"

"I'd have waited for Seth or Leah to come and throw pants at me."

I huffed.

"I'll be there in two days. Do you think you can keep a handle on it until then? No parties? No wrestling matches with vampires?"

"I don't know. Emmett might goad me…"

"You know what I mean, Nessie."

"Don't _worry_, Jake."

I decided to focus on the positive. "So, I am really, really, extremely excited to see you."

He cheered slightly, then. "I'm really excited to see you, too. Your mom tells me that you've grown like half a foot since I last saw you."

"Pretty much, there's no other way I could have enrolled as a junior if I didn't look at least fifteen, sixteen-ish."

"Sixteen?" His voice suddenly sounded a bit weak.

I laughed. "Are you okay, Jake? Did I shock you?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

"Well, you'll see me in two days regardless."

"Can't wait."

"Me neither."


	9. Chapter 9: Snowed In

Everything in the Twilight realm belong to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_**Chapter Nine - Snowed In**_

* * *

The snow was sufficiently bad the next day that school managed to get cancelled. Overnight, at least four feet of snow had managed to plaster the roads. This did not deter my family from outdoor activity. Dad and I in were in bluesy harmony on the piano and harmonica, when Emmett came into the room.

"Rose fixed the snow monster."

The _snow monster_ referred to our large snow mobile that we used when blizzards struck the area. Alice and Rosalie had found it annoying to run with their shopping bags cross country from Quebec and considered it quite out of the question to forgo shopping merely due to inclement weather, so we had gotten the snow monster.

Dad looked up then, "If you hadn't smashed it into those trees, Rosalie wouldn't have had to fix it."

"How was I supposed to know it couldn't eat trees? You've got to admit. It looks like it _wants_ to."

We collectively groaned.

"So how about some skiing, then? The mountains to the north have enough snow on the upper altitudes to give some serious lift off."

I looked up eagerly. Skiing was the closest thing to flying for me. The rest of my family could probably just jump out of an airplane and survive if they wanted to try it out. Given the whole heart beat and need for lungs, I had to ski.

My dad looked torn. As much or more than the rest of us, he loved _speed_. I could see his mouth twisting in indecision, and I knew we were going.

"I'll get both of ours!" I called as I ran to the garage to collect our equipment.

* * *

A half an hour later, we were collected on the summit of a nameless northern mountain. No human could have managed a ski path like this. The powder was too unstable. Avalanches were common, and rocks and trees jutted unevenly along the paths. But we weren't humans. We were vampires, and this was living.

Emmett called us all to order, "First one to the bottom wins. First one to knock an avalanche on Edward wins second place." My dad always won. Emmett hated that.

Esme lightly poked Emmett in the side then.

"Sorry, mom. OK, everybody, game on?"

And then we were off, soaring along the craggy slopes and snow paths. I specifically found a path with a good number of steep drops, so that I could soar through the air for tens of seconds at a time. Rose started out with me, but took a turn to weave among a patch of moguls to the east. I chose to take flight. The blue sky and frosty air bit at my cheeks as I flew down the white expanse. Thin pines and jagged rocks blurred past me.

I heard a cracking as I saw Emmett fly in and out of my view. I laughed as I saw the avalanche appear behind me. Well, Emmett had gotten his avalanche, but it wasn't headed toward my dad, it was chasing me. I purposefully let the avalanche close in a bit before I began weaving in front of it, letting the deep bass of the crashing snow envelope me. This was the better than any music from an instrument—it was nature at her most vicious and beautiful.

I came off another drop and realized I was in some trouble. Another avalanche was coming from the west, and a quick calculation in my brain told me that I was not going to make it. So, I did what I always did when I got caught. I took a deep breath and dove into a patch of powder behind the nearest boulder.

The weight of the wave was upon me then, and I had to dig my fingers into the granite of the boulder to hold my place. After about thirty seconds, the roar subsided, and I began to dig my way out of the layers of snow.

I stood lightly on the snow before going back to dig out my skis. Both were cracked and broken. I groaned. I would have to run down, now. Stupid, _stupid_ Emmett.

I began my swift descent.

I crested the top of the first slope and was beginning to descend when I saw him, in plain view, sitting comfortably on a rock at the base of the slope.

Olivier was staring up at me. A cocky smile spread across his face. "I found you."

My intuition flickered. "You caused that second avalanche, didn't you?"

"I had to find some way to get you alone."

"To use your own words, a little _rude_, don't you think? I cracked both of my skis."

"I am _sorry_ about interrupting you. You did look like you were enjoying yourself."

"I was."

"Why don't you come closer, my little friend?"

I was not coming closer. I had the high ground. He had the low ground. Also, his voice sounded just like the tone Jake had used when he had dressed up as the conniving grandma wolf for our Little Red Riding Hood stunt.

"I'm fine here, thanks."

He laughed. "You have nothing to fear, you know? I came to apologize, actually."

"Apology accepted. I'm still leaving."

"I also came to make a confession."

"Oh, really, well, I'm no priest, so you'll have to look elsewhere."

"You are sassy, aren't you?"

I grimaced at him.

He chuckled again. "That's okay. I like it."

"Don't care."

I heard the call, then, from the base of the mountain, "Renesmee" floated on the wind up the mountain. My family was calling me.

"Ah, _Renesmee_. Now I know your sweet name. And now I must make my confession. You see, Renesmee, since I last saw you, I've been unable to stop thinking about you. You made an indelible impression on me.

He paused, before staring me straight in the eyes. "I _want_ you. I want you to come with me. Now."

I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "Sorry, Olivier, you're not my type."

"You can't be sure about that. What do you think your type is Renesmee? Some weak human?"

My face noticeably reddened then, but not from embarrassment. I was angry. "What right do you have to question me about anything?"

"I claim no right. In fact, after our most recent encounter, I decided persuasion was the best tactic. You, my sweet, can conjure up quite the image with that little talent of yours. I have merely chosen to be forthright with my affections. But I will also say this: don't even think about playing romance with one of your little high school Ken dolls. I will take them down one by one."

I gasped and stared at him. "Is that a threat?"

He didn't acknowledge my question. "You will _want_ me, too. You will be _mine_."

He was up the slope, then. I tried running, but he was faster. He grabbed my jacket.

"Stop running away. I wanted to give this to you."

He held a slip of paper in his hand. "My number," he stated, unzipping one of the side pockets of my jacket and slipping it in. "Modern custom and all." He cackled.

"Now, I must be off now. I think your coven misses you already."

And then he was running again, his feet barely hitting the snow as he raced down and through the valley to the west.

I opened my pocket and stared at the number. On one hand, I could not help but feel the strange compliment in the gesture, and on the hand, the thought of Olivier made me shudder. He was not like my family. He hunted humans, and I knew that when he spoke of intentions, he did not speak of real affection. He spoke of fascination, attraction, and possession.

I shuddered and slipped the paper fragment back in my zipper pocket, promising myself that once I returned home, I would burn it.


	10. Chapter 10: Discomfiture

_Twilight belongs to the fabulous Stephenie Meyer. Not moi._

_

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_

_**Chapter Ten – Discomfiture**_

* * *

I woke up on Tuesday morning like a kid on Christmas. Jake! Jake was coming today! Jake! Jake! I merrily ran about gathering my school items, as I prepared for my dad.

I heard Carlisle call me from the main house. Ugh, they wanted to measure me again. Always a tedious experience. I felt like a lab rat every time I went through this.

When I entered Carlisle's study, he had the cloth tape measure ready. My mom, Alice, Esme, and Rosalie were seated on the leather chaise, attentive. While my grandfather began his measurements, Alice piped up, "This isn't just for Carlisle's scientific ponderings, Nessie. I need your latest measurements. The clothes I just bought you are already starting to hold a bit snug."

"Yeah, thanks, Alice, just what every girl needs to hear."

"Oh, _please_, Nessa. Carlise, are you done? I want _my_ turn."

"All done, Nessie. 68 and ¾ inches. 1.75 meters. I think you only have a half inch left." He glanced over hesitantly at Alice's impatient expression before giving me a rueful smile and taking his leave of the study.

Alice already had the measure across my bust.

"Ow!" I complained. "Do you have to crush me in the process?"

She ignored me, turning to my mother, "Bella you were right. She is bigger than you now." She turned her attention back to me. "Your mother is a rather full 30-B, and you my dearest niece are an even fuller 32-C." She laughed to herself, before measuring my wrists, neck, hips, waist, and so on. It never ceased to amaze me how she thought so many measurements were necessary, when I could walk into any store and pick out a perfectly normal top.

The women of my family cackled on about my "womanly changes," as Alice finished up. They could really be a nest of old hens when they all got together.

"I think AMX and Everend will be a natural fit for you," she mused. "They're cut for thinner necks—but certainly I'll have to get some clothes tailored for by Martin and Seb, too. Most lines assume a thin neck comes with small chest—and you…"

She was in full on Alice-mode. I cleared my throat. "So when exactly is Jake's flight getting in?"

They all noticeably paused.

My mom spoke first. "The snow is cleared off the roads here, love, but Jake's flight transfers through Minneapolis-St. Paul, and they just had another blizzard sweep in. Jake's caught until the runways are clear."

My face must have noticeably fallen.

"Oh, cheer up!" Alice demanded in her high soprano voice. "He'll definitely be here tomorrow."

I left the room in a huff. I did not need to _cheer up_. Really, I didn't want to go to school, either. I wanted to curl up in a ball, cry my eyes out, and ignore the world until Jake came into my room and tapped me on the shoulder. But I needed to go to school. Due to the snow, I had yet to see my Alyssa since she returned from the hospital, or Abby and May Li.

I hopped in and out of the shower, and attempted to dress myself, but to no avail. _Alice_ had been in my closet again. She seemed to think it was her duty to "weed out" my closet on a regular basis. I threw my hands up in the air, cursing wildly. There was _nothing_ comfortable to wear. I felt awkward and sad, and the closet thing I had to comfort in my closet was a long-sleeved cotton shirt that said "Angel Bear." Ugh.

I threw on a simple white tank top and jeans, and began my hunt for mood-matching clothing. I went back to the main house and marched into Rose and Emmett's room. Emmett was sprawled out on the bed, watching some sporting event. He raised an eyebrow as he saw me, but I suspect he already knew the reason behind my mood.

"Uncle Em, I am borrowing your Montreal Canadiens sweatshirt," I informed him as I yanked it off the closest shelf and pulled it over my head.

"That's fine, Nessie. But if you ruin it, you owe me—at least three games on the pond. I do not care if it is Alice that tries to shred it off you. The shirt is sacred."

I nodded and left the room. The only sport Emmett liked to watch more than football was ice hockey. I believe the checking and fighting appealed to his baser nature. He certainly yelled a lot when he watched.

I didn't even bother to find my father. I marched out to the Volvo, climbed in the passenger side, and gave a mental call. _Edward. Dad. I'm ready! _He'd be here in a second. No reason to alert Alice to my fashion choices for the day.

* * *

Alyssa, Abby and May Li were waiting for me inside the academic building.

May Li looked mildly outraged when she saw what I wearing. "Nessa, how can wear those Ralph Lauren jeans and _that_ shirt at the same time? It's like sacrilegious, at best."

It had become part of her daily routine to identify what labels I was wearing, and if she couldn't identify them, she took enormous delight in hunting down the new source. I would have to introduce her to Alice at some point. I wasn't sure I wanted to be around for the conversation, because it could last for several weeks, but I'm not sure I could take much more of the fashion-talk either.

Alyssa was assessing my mood. "Hmmm, you were happy on Sunday, but today, your face says someone snatched your first born child."

I frowned, muttering, "Hello to you, too," and continued in the direction of my English class. I knew I wasn't going to escape their questions, but I figured I deserved at least until lunch time to drown in my the mire of my misery.

And then lunchtime was upon me.

I refused to eat. Human food was disgusting enough. Cafeteria food was vomit on a plate. I was not going to be able to swallow an ounce of mystery mash in my current mood.

Alyssa, May Li, and Abby descended upon me at our table. I could see on their faces that they had been discussing me, plotting.

Abby spoke first, "Nessa, you've never been like this before. Can you tell us what happened?"

Alyssa added, "We just want to help. You've been there for us, so we want to be there for you." The image of Alyssa sprawled cold and pallid in the glen filled my mind, and I spit it out without meaning to.

"Jake's flight was delayed."

They all noticeably sat taller, intrigued but trying to hide it.

"Who's Jake? You never mentioned him before." May Li asked.

I hadn't. How odd. I was always thinking about Jake.

"He's been my friend since I was a little kid. He's always been there for me, my best friend." I must have looked sad, because Abby patted my back compassionately.

"Do you have any pictures?" Alyssa asked.

I flipped open my phone then, trying to find a recent picture of Jake. I found one from the first few days of August before he left. It was a shot of Jake on the La Push beach. I handed the phone to Alyssa. May Li was already peering over her shoulder.

They collectively gasped.

"He's gorgeous!" May Li exclaimed. "He's really tall, high cheekbones, full lips, _ripped_ body. Maybe a little too old for us..."

I shrugged. I figured less was more. "He's not my boyfriend, May. He's just my _friend_."

Alyssa was holding the phone out for Abby now. "Where's he from, Nessa? Is he First Nations or Inuit?"

"No, he's Quileute. They are a Pacific-Northwest tribe in Washington State. He's been away at Stanford this past semester."

"Nice," she responded. The three of them had their heads together, collectively staring at my picture now. I could see that May Li had the zoom-in function in action, and they were examining parts of Jacob in unnecessarily close detail. I did not like it. I snatched my phone back from May Li with unnecessary speed.

"Fucking hell, Nessa!" She was sucking on her thumb. Maybe, I had yanked a little too hard…

Alyssa was giving me a ridiculous grin. "You were getting jealous, Nessa. You _like_ him. You may not even realize that you like him, but you so do."

"Oh, bugger off, the lot of you." I was not in a mood to be teased.

They laughed collectively, but I think they noticed the tinge of menace in my mood, because they changed the topic to talk about the boys at the party.

* * *

I left my last class of the day in no hurry. There was no point. If life was fair, I would have been getting in the car to go and meet Jake at the airport, but life wasn't fair, and I wouldn't be able to see him until tomorrow or who knows when, depending on how long it took for the stupid, evil, belongs-in-the-bowels-of hell storm to clear up in Minneapolis.

I marched out front doors, not really paying attention.

I think my body knew he was there before my brain did. I was skipping down the steps then, barely able to maintain a human velocity. I walked straight past my small audience of friends, who were strategically positioned to observe on Alyssa's car. And then I was jumping—barely a human jump—into his waiting arms, holding him tightly. I didn't even realize that I had tears pouring down my cheeks. I was happy. Content. I had _my_ Jacob. Everything was fine, perfect.

It was only when I heard him chuckle and looked into his bright almost-black eyes that I began to return to reality.

"I missed you, too," He laughed.

I laughed, too, putting both of my palms on his neck. _How did you get here? Your flight was cancelled._

I realized my mom was there, then. She answered my question, even though she had not heard it. "Jacob came on foot, Nessie. He was eager to see you too, apparently." That explained it. He had phased and ran from Minneapolis.

My mother was still staring at me—she had a slightly disapproving look on her face. I realized that the position that I was in, with both of my legs wrapped around Jake's waist and Jake supporting my weight with his arms wrapped around my rear, did not really count as an age-appropriate position, especially for the Eastwood parking lot. I flushed crimson and gave Jake a nod, so that he set me down.

Alyssa, Abby, and May Li were approaching to investigate. Clearly, my little display had been too much for them to simply swallow their curiosity.

"So, Nessa," Alyssa said, a comically large smile on her face. "It looks like _your_ Jacob did show up today. Would you care to introduce us?"

I gave her knowing stare. She knew I knew what she was up to.

She just smiled back hugely, before giving me a little wink.

None of this was lost on Jacob or my mother.

"Jake, Aunt Bella, these are my friends Alyssa, May Li, and Abby," I pointed to each of them in turn, and greetings were exchanged.

Dear god. They were so _obvious_ when it came to this sort of thing. Alyssa kept looking at me with that shit-eating-grin across her face. May Li looked like she was mentally undressing Jacob. Even Abby kept flashing her eyes over to me, a tight, contained little smile sneaking across her features. I wanted to thunk each of them on the head.

"Hey, so I'll catch you guys later right?" I began shoving Jake into the Volvo. His eyes were laughing at me as I slammed the door behind him. My mom took the hint and walked over to the driver's side, getting in.

"Call me, Nessa!" Alyssa called as I was walking around to the other side of the car. I looked up to see all three of them giving me a half-demanding, half-ridiculous look, as they had their thumbs and pinkies out, "hand-phones," up against their ears. I groaned. I was not sure it could get any worst.

I hopped in the car, and then finally, we drove off.

I turned my head to smile at my favorite person in the whole, wide world.


	11. Chapter 11: Jacob

Disclaimer - Stephanie Meyer has legal dibs on all that is Twilight.

* * *

_Chapter Eleven – Jacob_

* * *

The first thing we did when we arrived home was raid the pantry. Esme was already at work in the kitchen. She was searing some steaks and frying up some eggs for us. She knew I found these foods acceptable. While we were waiting, Jake and I munched on rice puffs. I didn't actually like the taste of them. The flavor was close to what I imagine sawdust would taste like. I just found them highly entertaining to crunch on. I liked the sound—and eating them was something I always did with Jake.

We chatted on happily. Jake told me about his travel issues.

"I had already considered jumping ship and running. After three hours with my knees in my chin, you can bet I wasn't torn to bits when I realized I would have to run."

"What about all your stuff, Jake?"

"I'm having his suitcase shipped in from the airport," Esme said as she set down two heaping plates.

"You didn't have to do that, Esme," Jacob countered.

"Jacob, I know you went to a great deal of trouble to get here," Esme said, "Please—we were supposed to pick you up from the airport anyway. At the very least, you saved us a trip. Let us do something for you."

"Uh, thank you." Jake mumbled, looking a bit sheepish.

"I knew I smelled something mangy in the house."

Rosalie had entered the room. Esme gave her a disapproving look.

"Really, Nessie, do you have to join him in his eating habits? You know he did eat out of a dog dish once."

"Barry nice pen-min-ship, I ruh-membeh." Jacob mumbled through a mouth full of food.

"Gross," she scoffed, and left the room.

Jake looked immensely pleased with himself.

We both finished off our plates quickly.

I pouted slightly and stared at my empty plate.

"You are still hungry?" he laughed.

"I'm a growing girl." I protested before considering. "Well, not really anymore. Carlisle said I only had a teensy bit more. Either way, I skipped lunch today."

"You did what?" Skipping meals was not in his werewolf cognitive universe. No matter how sad one might be—food was not something to ever be passed up.

"It was cafeteria food. Nasty. I was planning on hunting anyway. I'm thirsty."

"Sounds good to me. Let's hunt."

We ran toward the park. I paused at the same time he did. I could hear a scratching to the west. Bear. Definitely, bear. I was about to run in pursuit, but then I remembered Emmett's sweatshirt.

"Crap," I muttered. I scrambled out of the shirt and leapt to hang it from a branch. The temperature was barely above freezing, and I was in a small tank top. It didn't matter to me. I wasn't cold. I just had to be wary of running into any humans in case they thought I was some crazed lunatic suffering from exposure.

I turned to glance at Jake and found him gaping at me.

His expression was a mixture of shock and an emotion I'd never seen on him before. I could not place it.

I ran to him and pressed my hand against his face. _Jake, are you okay?_

He jerked quite stiffly away from me and replied in a strained voice, "I'm going to go phase, Nessie. We should hunt."

He ran into a corner of the woods and was back just as fast padding in the direction of the bear.

"Oh, no you don't!" I called and ran in pursuit.

He let me take the bear and ran off to hunt a stray caribou to the south.

When I finished draining my kill, I made my way over to one of the many small streams that dumped into the St. Lawrence. It was a strangely warm day for December in Quebec, and the stream had a small but noisy current flowing through. I climbed into the branches of an overhanging elm and listened to the sounds of the forest. I heard Jake when he approached.

I peaked silently through the branches.

He paused to look around and sniff the air, and then he was phasing. I had seen Jake phase before, but I had not really paid attention. If I were honest with myself, I had not been truly aware of him before. Now, I was. I was very aware of him.

The great mass of fur seemed to fold up. It was like his form curved in on itself, only to bend out suddenly, his human shape appearing. When I was little, I thought his phasing was magical. I realized, as a wave of heat surged through my core, that I still felt that way—only more so.

Jacob was magnificent. I could see every muscle defined in his body. The sun dashed off his russet skin and splayed across the meadow, and I thought this is how Adonis himself would have looked had he ridden his flaming chariot down to consort with the mortals. Jake turned suddenly, shrugging on his pants, and I gasped, almost falling out of the tree.

He spotted me then and ran over to the elm, a smile cracked wide across his face.

"You were _spying_ on me, weren't you?"

I gathered my wits about me. "It's not my fault you poof into human form without any warning."

He laughed. "Come down, Nessie. Stop hiding in trees." I stood on the branch, before gracefully letting myself fall into his waiting arms. He caught me easily.

And then we were touching, and he was staring into my eyes. This stare was the same look as earlier, but now it was magnified up-close. His eyes were inches from mine. I finally understood his expression. I could feel the taut edge to his body. I could hear his heart beating, his lungs breathing. They were accelerated. Jake _wanted_ me.

My body responded unconsciously. I could feel my heart rate increasing, too. My breath was aligning in speed. I felt a swell of heat beginning low in my body and creeping upward. I felt strangely faint.

He jerked his head away from me suddenly, biting his lip. "Uh, sorry, Nessie. I haven't seen you in a while."

I was immediately indignant. It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head.

He set me down, and I lay back on the snow, picking up a yellow blade of grass and playing with it, irritated.

"Jake?" I called quietly.

"Yeah?" a strange, controlled tone to his voice.

"Jake." I called his name again. I was surprised by how deep and husky my voice sounded. "Jake, come _here_."

He heard the difference in my tone then, and he looked down at me. I couldn't help but notice how boyish his expression was. He actually looked… _shy_, maybe?

I scooted myself toward him. He still hadn't moved.

"You _know_ I hate talking when I can just show you." I realized I was pouting.

He grinned and sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and plopping us both back into the snow. It was noticeably melting around us. We were getting all wet.

I sat up on my elbow then and reached my other arm across his chest. I gently curled my hand under his chin.

He closed his eyes and took in a jagged breath at my touch.

I took my own deep breath and focused, showing him.

_Him standing in the parking lot after school. The full force of my joy. Our laughter. My happiness at seeing him again. Finally, our hunt—seeing him—all of him. I didn't hide my desire as I focused my vision. My sight climbed his contoured back, rounded his broad chest, and then drew my focus slowly up his neck. It rested on his lips. _

And then my images were interrupted, my hand knocked aside, and his lips pressed against mine. He kissed me gently, sweetly, and slowly.

I didn't want gentle or slow. I didn't need to feel safe with Jacob. I didn't want to. I wrapped my palm against the back of his neck and showed him exactly what I wanted.

In response, he completely and utterly unleashed himself. Jake pulled me to him with a wild gasp before rolling me under him. His lips pushed in harmony against mine. Our mouths opened to each other, and he deepened the kiss, and I drank him in. His heat was adding to my heat, and my talent was feeding it back to him, so that we fed off of each other, the heat building rapidly, taking on a blistering intensity. My free hand groped his lower back, tightening him against my shape.

And then it wasn't just the heat, I could smell him. Jacob did not smell a mere human to me. Our ardor had enhanced his normal musky smell so that a fiery, wild scent emanated from him, and it overpowered my senses, leaving me totally defenseless.

His hands traced a scorching trail across my body, leaving me moaning helplessly. They left my face, slowly sliding down the sides of my body to cling feverishly to my waist. His right hand moved lower, and he hitched my leg around his waist so his fingers could stalk down my jeans until they reached my knee and from my knee down the length of my calf, memorizing every line and curve of my form.

And I could feel his excitement. I could sense every inch of his hard body pressed against mine. Jake's form covered me completely and yet I fit into him perfectly. I was completely lost in him. My mind and my body disconnected. I had no idea how to react or respond. I just knew that I wanted him to take whatever he wanted. I could feel the heat cresting now, ready to erupt and overflow, and my lips broke from his lips with a shrill moan.

He did not stop kissing me. His tongue outlined my bottom lip before his lips followed the line of my jaw and descended upon my neck.

The neck put me over the edge. I couldn't help it. I wanted more.

I took charge. I pulled his face to the line of my chest, pushing his lips to linger there, and then my hands were moving to the bottom of my shirt, lifting.

And then Jacob's hands were on mine, holding them. He laughed breathlessly, his face burrowed in my neck.

"So are you trying to get me killed?" he breathed. His lips brushed against my ear as he spoke. The tingling sensation that action produced was not helping my logic.

_Why, Jake?_ Why_ did you stop?_

"Nessie," he whispered my name, kissing me softly. "Your dad is going to _want_ to rip me a new one as it is. If we take things _further_, I _know_ he will _kill_ me."

_I'm not sure I care at this moment. I think I want to die happy._

I rolled us so that I was on top of him and exploring his bare chest. My hands happily navigated the muscles in his stomach, while my lips drew a path across his collar bone. He groaned, pulling my hips against him, and I could feel the heat rising between us again.

He shook his head, then, sighing. He grabbed me and pulled me into his lap, still kissing me, but also taking our intensity down several notches.

I huffed. I had been enjoying myself. I did not want to be done.

He brushed my bronze curls out of my face. "Nessie you are _beautiful_. So unbelievable." he breathed.

I put a finger to his lips, stopping his sentence and showing him: _my shirt flowing upward, his bare chest touching my bare chest._

"Nessie!" he groaned, frustrated. "_Listen_ for a minute."

I bit his shoulder—not too hard, but hard enough. I was pissed.

His face contorted in pain, and then he held my face in his hands.

"I _love you_, Nessie."

He said it in an unwavering voice.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you. Ness, I love you. I am in love with you. I have always loved you."

I stared into his deep eyes. I could feel the warmth this time in a slow wave. I clasped his chin and kissed him slowly.

"I think I am in love with you too, Jake." I smiled shyly, softly at him.

Part of me was in total dreamland. I had just rolled through the bushes with Jake. My best friend. Jake kissed me in a way that made my head want to explode. Jake. I was still endeavoring to understand my own behavior. And yet it felt strangely natural, inevitable, like my body couldn't not respond to him—and as if his body couldn't not respond to mine—like there was an invisible chain that pulled us together. My head was still swimming. The adrenaline continued to course through my veins—I still wanted him.

Then I saw the mark on his shoulder, and I pursed my lips, looking down apologetically. "I'm sorry I bit you."

He grinned. "It's mostly healed anyway, so I kind of forgive you, as long as you swear an undying oath that I'm the only one you ever want to bite."

"Sure, sure," I smirked, kissing the crescent scar that was swiftly fading.

"Good." And then he kissed me deeply, making my toes curl all over again.

"_So, seriously,_ how are we going to stop your dad from butchering me? Because he's your _dad_, Nessie. It's not like I'm going to try and take him."

Ugh. My dad could be so _annoying_.

I didn't think twice. I picked up my phone and called my mother.


	12. Chapter 12: Edward

Disclaimer: Everything in the Twilight realm, belongs to its master and creator, Stephenie Meyer--not me.

* * *

_Chapter Twelve – Edward_

* * *

_Bella's Perspective_

I think I had unconsciously been awaiting the call. I was away from the main house, sitting on the back porch of the summer kitchen with a fat volume of Kipling's works open in my lap. The porch was one of my favorite places to read. The view of the mountains was pleasant and there was something about the place that reminded me of the beloved cottage we had left behind in Forks.

I picked up the phone on the first ring.

"Mom?"

"Hey, Nessie. What's up?" I was still flipping through the pages in worn tome, trying to find a particular quote I vaguely recalled being fond of as a human.

"Uh, I'm not sure how to explain or where to start, but I really need your help."

I could hear the undercurrent in her tone. "Hmmm… could this have something, oh, I don't know, to do with Jake?"

"You might say that."

I nodded to myself. "I might."

Another long pause. I was going to have to be the direct one.

"So what exactly happened that you don't want your father to know about?"

"Well, we kind of, you know...?"

"Since I wasn't there, Nessie. I don't know." I paused momentarily, my brow furrowing. "You didn't sleep with him, did you?"

"No! Well—no—we just, well, Jake slowed things down."

Just the sort of thing a mother wants to hear from her teenage daughter.

I sighed. It wasn't like I hadn't been expecting something like this. _The imprint_. She'd been crazy about Jake since day one. Jacob was _hers_: first, her personal jungle gym, teething ring, and playmate and later, her favored confidant. Now that the hormones had kicked in full throttle, I supposed it was inevitable. And as much as I hated the idea of losing my daughter to anyone, I had long ago accepted that Jake might be the only one in the world who could love and care for her the way she deserved.

I still wasn't going to pretend that I was tickled about it.

"We need to talk, Nessie. Not on the phone, but I think I'll need to chat with your dad first. Tell Jake Edward will probably want to talk to him, but I think Jake probably had that figured out already, anyway."

"Hah, actually he's looking a little green right now."

"Eh, don't worry, he won't kill him," I paused, rethinking my statement. "But, Nessie, do keep the hormones under wraps, okay? Don't push your father any farther than necessary, okay? Baby steps."

"Sure, sure, yeah, mom, baby steps."

"Give me an hour. Then meet me in the sitting room in the carriage house."

"Will do. Thanks. I love you, mom."

"I love you, too."

Then the line clicked.

I went to find Edward.

He lay across our bed, sprawled out, his eyes closed with some new music playing in the background. It sounded vaguely Eastern European to me. I knew he heard me, but he did not move until I pressed into the mattress beside him. Then, he wrapped his arms tightly around me, pulling me against his marble chest and kissing me softly.

"How was the fourth reading of Kipling—since the first three readings were insufficient?" He smirked at me.

"It was fine, thank you."

"You know, I had assumed you would have stopped rereading classics once you changed, but instead you just seem to reread them faster and more frequently."

I stuck my tongue out at him, but instead of taking it as a jibe, he took it as an invitation and caught my tongue in his own mouth, kissing me deeply, pressing me against him.

I drew back. "_Wait_, Edward, we need to talk." He ignored me and kissed hungrily down my collar bone, and his fingers searched for and found the zipper at the back of my dress.

"Edward, I need—to talk—to—you—about Nessie," I gasped in between kisses.

He growled and attacked my mouth again, clearly determined to suppress any communication involving words.

One might have thought that after more than six years of marriage, we might have somehow gotten a hold on ourselves in this department, but it didn't seem to be happening. If anything, since Nessie left for school a few weeks before—I think we'd gotten much, much worse.

I gave in to his caresses at some point, forgetting my original goal entirely and losing myself in my husband.

My reason resurfaced only when I heard the front door of the carriage house slam, and I realized that Jacob and Renesmee had returned. My hour was already up.

Edward and I were already behind my mental shield, so I knew he had not heard their thoughts, but we could still hear the murmur of their whispering voices from the foyer. I pulled away from Edward, sitting up, looking him in the eyes.

He gave me a look that was both critical and curious. "Bella, why are you blocking me from your thoughts… as well as everyone else's?"

"I was trying to tell you—but then you interrupted me," I gave him a teasing smile. "I needed to talk to you about Nessie—and Jake."

His smiled tightened, and he sat up away from me. He eyed me warily.

"What _about_ Nessie and Jacob?"

"Well, you remember how you once called Jacob _your son?_"

Edward was momentarily dazed. He blinked twice, and then his eyes cleared, and he reacted. He was off the bed, his clothes flung on, and he was racing to the door.

I barely stopped him. I was positive that if he hadn't been sidetracked by the fact that I was bare as the day I was born, I think he may have actually knocked us both through the door.

"Edward _sit_ _down_." I pushed him away from the door. "Maybe I didn't phrase things in exactly the best way, but you knew this was going to happen. It was practically inevitable."

His face hardened, and he averted his eyes. "I'm going to snap both of his arms so he can't touch her."

My jaw fell open. This was actually worse than I had expected. Jake and Edward had gotten along so well over the past six years, especially after our confrontation with the Volturi. There was genuine camaraderie between them.

"I'm not sure Jake is the sole source of the problem, love. What do you think you're going to do, lock Renesmee in a tower, too?"

He didn't flinch. "That can be arranged."

"Edward, be reasonable." I cupped his face with both of my hands and stared deeply into his golden irises.

He stared back at me. "I am being reasonable. She's our daughter. She's existed for less than seven short years. It is too soon for her to give her heart to anyone. I won't let her go gallivanting off with that _mutt_."

"I think we can compromise with her on this."

"No, we won't. She's not even full-grown."

"Edward, I am not planning on giving her up anytime soon."

He was silent for a moment. "What exactly are you proposing?"

"Nessie just started her junior year at high school. She needs to graduate. Jake will understand that. He knows how hard she pushed to go. She will do her duty to her family and finish out her role there. Jake, meanwhile, will go back to Stanford when the holidays are up. I know he wants to earn his degree. If Renesmee wants to join him in two years, we can talk about it then—in two years."

Edward sighed. I saw the desolation creeping into his face. As much as he tended to over-think _everything—_he had never really thought this far ahead. I think he had been purposely avoiding it.

I ran my hands through his bronze strands. "Everything will work out fine, love."

"I'm not ready, Bella."

I laughed. "There are some things you can't be ready for."

He sighed, "Hearing human lust, hearing our family's passions… even hearing men's fantasies about you—those thoughts I swallow and bear, but hearing them from my daughter—or about my daughter… it is too much." He closed his eyes and hugged me against him.

"Jacob has always _loved_ Nessie. That has not changed. We both know that he would not take advantage of her."

Edward cringed. "You forget I heard his fantasies about _you_ once upon a time. I am certain he will take advantage of whatever—"

"Edward! You know perfectly well that it's not the same. I was older than Jake—Jake is very aware of how young Nessie is—he would do nothing that could hurt her. Moreover, Nessie has her own distinct personality. It is not the same."

He grimaced before suddenly brightening, "Can I crack a few of his fingers?"

"No, Edward."

"He does heal quite quickly."

"No."

"Can I scare them? Set curfews? Throw things? Set ridiculous rules?"

"Actually, I was kind of counting on it. Someone needs to play bad cop."

"You always like coming off as the sweet one."

"You do tell me I am sweet."

"Hmmm… you are sweet." He was trailing his hands down my exposed back, sending shivers down my spine.

"You are _so_ easily distracted," I laughed.

He picked me up and carried me back to the bed. I supposed we would tend to our daughter _later_.


	13. Chapter 13: Adjustments

_Disclaimer_ - the Twilight universe was created by Stephenie Meyer - I'm just playing with some outter planetary systems--don't sue me.

* * *

**_Chapter 13 – Adjustments_**

* * *

When Jacob and I finally returned to the carriage house, I was expecting snarls, growls, and lots of yelling, instead, I heard my parents—going at it—again.

"Wow, your mom's really buttering him up, isn't she?" Jake nodded thoughtfully.

"Hmm, since they seem to be busy, why don't we go to my room?" I flashed him a devilish smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Nice, Nessie. I'm sure that having your dad find us alone in your room is _not_ going to convince him _not_ to flay me."

I sulked. "You've been alone with me in my bedroom countless times before. I see no reason for things to change." I wrapped both arms around his waist, yanking him towards me.

He grinned. "But it seems that some things have changed." He snickered to himself. "Quil is going to be _so_ jealous."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What does Quil have to do with anything?"

He pursed his lips and looked about the room as if determined to change the subject. He lifted my hand from his waist and kissed the underside of my wrist, before pausing to stare at it. His brow furrowed and he dropped my right hand in order to lift and peer at the left, before kissing it quickly and dropping it, too.

"Where's your bracelet?"

"Oh, I wore it until my most recent growth spurt hit, and then the leather strings could reach no more. Two of the strands snapped, and Alice threatened many deaths."

"Do you still have it?"

I grinned wickedly at him. "Follow me."

I kept the bracelet in the upper drawer of my bedroom bureau. I waited until he had sat down on my bed and then I handed it to him. "Here it is."

The bracelet was a pearl-sized carving of a wolf pierced with an intricately woven leather chain. Jake smiled at me gently and tenderly fingered the leather strands. "Scissors, Nessie?

I wordlessly handed him a pair, and he began unweaving and reweaving the cords, shortening strands that did not fit. I curiously watched as his large hands dexterously manipulated the threads into their new shape.

"When I first gave this to you, your fingers were so tiny—it had to be a bracelet—it wouldn't have fit, but this weave is not meant to be a bracelet." He grabbed my right hand then and slid the band onto my finger, making final adjustments to the leather before withdrawing his hand.

"It was always meant to be a ring—a Quileute promise ring."

I held my hand up, thoughtfully examining the amazing amount of detail Jake had achieved in a matter of minutes. Jake was watching my face carefully.

Then it occurred to me that I had seen similar rings before—on Emily, Rachel—and _Claire_."

"Jake, do _all_ Quileute women have these rings?"

He noticeably tensed. "They are pretty common on the rez—it's traditional to weave one for your promised," he shrugged, keeping his eyes glued to the ring on my hand.

"Claire has one, too. She's Quil's _imprint_."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Yep."

He was clearly determined to drag his feet on this. I pointed to the ring. "I've had this since I was a baby."

"Yep."

I took a deep breath. "Jake, why didn't you tell me?"

He looked up at me. "Because it was your choice. "

"But you didn't have a choice." I frowned slightly as I said this. I did _not_ like the idea that Jacob had not chosen me.

"Nessie," he laughed. "Who really has a choice about whom we love—imprint or none? When you were born, I'm not sure how exactly to explain this to you." He scratched his head. "I was in a pretty bad place. I was actually running around like a crazy person looking for any girl I could find to imprint on." He laughed at his memory.

"You were still hung up on my mom."

"Yeah, I was. Pretty screwy, huh? When she got pregnant with you, I was even more drawn to her. At the time I thought I had a nasty case of masochism. But then I finally saw you, Ness, and everything in my life fell into place. I've been so happy since you were born, content—like I was before I became a wolf."

I pursed my lips. None of this was really helping. "Do you even find me attractive?"

He gave a maniacal laugh, hugging me. "Nessie, are you not aware that you are the most beautiful woman in existence? Do you have any idea what you did to me when you peeled off that sweatshirt? Or what you're doing to me right now?"

He lifted my chin and pressed his lips against mine, kissing me softly but intensely.

Then we heard the door to my parents' room open and we both jumped to opposite sides of the room.

My mother came through my door first, my father directly behind her.

"Renesmee, Jacob—we'd like to talk to you both in the dining room."

This was _not_ going to be good.


	14. Chapter 14: Consequences

* * *

_Chapter 14 – Consequences_

* * *

Dad actually took it a whole lot better than I thought.

It was mostly a tedious, mind-numbing argument involving semantics and a lot of new rules.

Jake just sat there—super stoic man—quite the odd thing for Jake. He answered in nods and frowns.

My dad was (round eight) going down his long list: "…No being alone in your bedroom. No sex. No anything in the house. No anything while you are not in the house. I expect perfectly lady-like behavior while—"

"—Edward, Edward. It's okay," my mother soothed.

"It is not okay. She's six years old."

"Yeah, dad, because I really look like a six year old."

Instead of starring at me, dad suddenly turned a hardened stare on Jake, who pretended not to notice and gazed intently at his twiddling thumbs.

Huh. Jake must have been doing a _really_ good job at blocking his thoughts up until this point. "Ugh, Dad. Stop reading Jake's thoughts."

My dad refocused. "Renesmee, even if you look like your sixteen and have the intellectual capacity of a much older person, you still only have six years of experience in this life. Intelligence does not equate wisdom."

"I _understand_, dad. That's why I have agreed to finish up at school. That's why Jake's going to Stanford after the holidays. That's why I've accepted that I'll be limited to internet porn and phone sex for the next—"

"—Nessie!" My mom interjected.

Once again my dad's gaze was focused not on _me_ but on Jake.

"Oh, come on, dad, you know I only said those things to piss you off—there's no reason to—"

"Enough." My mom slapped both hands down on the table, causing the centerpiece vase to fall sideways—until dad caught it in an easy motion. "Nessie, Jake, go over to the main house or somewhere, anywhere that is not here. Your dad and I are going to chat some more."

Finally. Definite cue to leave. I grabbed Jake's hand and pulled him behind me out the front door. I held his hand firmly but we did not move closer as we loped to the villa's main room and plopped in front of the screen.

Emmett was sitting in the large arm chair closest to the fire.

He looked up curiously as we came in—clearly he heard the clamor from the carriage house and knew something was up.

"So what did you do to piss off Edward, Jake—lick my niece?"

My face froze. Jake said nothing. He was looking quite pale for his usually bronzed self.

Emmett missed none of this. "And he didn't try to kill you?" he asked Jake incredulously.

Jake finally spoke up. "Not yet."

I expected Emmett to laugh, but he looked a bit crushed.

"I've been waiting for six years..." His expression was completely wistful now. "I was hoping the _imprint_ would even things up with Edward. Alpha pup versus Vamp daddy—now Jasper and I won't even get to conclude the bet…

His face shot up suddenly. "Ness, where's my sweatshirt?"

"Crap. I left it in the woods to go hunting."

"You owe me three on the pond."

I groaned. "I'm going to get it now, Emmett." I stood up and motioned Jake to follow me.

"Have FUN, kiddies." Emmett boomed.

Jake and I ran until we cleared the orchard. Then we slowed to a human pace. We simultaneously sighed in relief and then laughed.

"Still alive," he joked, leaning against a rocky outcropping.

I curled up against him. "Don't worry—I wouldn't have let anything happen to you."

"Oh, you were going to defend me, were you, Renesmee Princess of Power?"

"You mock, He-Man, but you know I could take you."

"You actually got my 1980's toons reference—_extraordinario_ for someone born all of six years ago—and yes, you can take me anytime you want." He grinned.

"_Extraordinario_!" I repeated back to him. "You _did_ paid attention in your Spanish class, and yes, the reason I'm so 80s hip is because Emmett is _She-Rah_ obsessed—you have no idea. He's been trying to get Rose into that outfit for the last two decades."

Jake laughed and then shook his head. "Yeah, sorry, don't want to talk about Ice Queen right now—"

He picked me up easily, pulling me against him.

"So, what do you wanna _talk about_?" I teased, trailing my fingers along his neck. Jake had not shaved since his airport troubles, and the course stubble created pleasant friction as I changed course, running along the underside of his jaw, stopping at his chin. He was so _warm_.

Jake responded to my explorations by lifting me off the ground so that our faces were inches apart. I stared into his almost-black eyes. His eyelashes were so dark and fantastically thick that I thought they would have looked rather feminine if the rest of his face wasn't so utterly male.

Jake broke our stare, turning his head to brush his lips against my ear and breathe in my scent.

"You smell amazing, Ness."

"Don't burn your nose, do I?"

"No, no, no—vampires smell like rotten melon. Super nasty. _You_ smell incredible." He breathed in deeply along the arc of my neck. "Your smell is difficult to describe—very deep and complex—like a midnight meadow blooming after the sudden blast of a summer thunderstorm—or a humid jungle flower—so very _female_."

My amusement at his descriptions disappeared. A sudden chill went down my spine. Jake blinked his eyes in surprise.

"Orchid?" I asked.

He nodded thoughtfully. "Orchid would be pretty close. What's wrong, Ness? What did I say?"

I pursed my lips before showing him my memory.

Jake was shaking. His eyes were closed, and he was trying to calm himself.

"You left those _details_ out of our phone conversations."

I groaned. "Jake, you _phased_ when I gave you the mere outline over the phone. How was I supposed to tell you the rest?"

He noticeably calmed as he considered my question.

"Show me, Ness. Everything. I promise not to get upset, but I need information in order to protect you."

"Oh, please, Jake. I can protect myself."

"Show me, Ness."

I examined his face carefully. He seemed to be in super calm alpha-mode. "You promise? Because there's more."

He cringed slightly but nodded, and I curled up against him, burying my face in his neck, and letting the story travel from my mind to his. I told him everything. The entire night of the party. The avalanche and confrontation on the ski slope.

When I finished showing him, Jake growled, "Ness, if you weren't here right now, I think I'd hunt down that leech and rip out every appendage—"

"But I am here, Jake. And I'm fine."

He brushed my lips softly before setting me back down. "It's late already."

I pouted. We had already run out of time. I had promised to prove how _responsible_ I could be—but that meant heading home. "We still need Emmett's sweatshirt."

We ran through the woods catching our trail from earlier that evening and following it to the patch of forest where we had begun our hunt.

Jake and I stopped short—Emmett's sweat shirt was not hanging from the branch where I had left it. Instead, shredded remnants of red and blue cotton were strewn across the forest floor.

"Ness, whose scent is that?"

"It's Olivier's, Jake."

And then Jacob phased.


	15. Chapter 15: In Response

Disclaimer - Twilight is not mine--but the fantabulous world of Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_**Chapter 15 – In Response**_

* * *

"_Ness, whose scent is that?"_

"_It's Olivier's, Jake."_

_And then Jacob phased._

"Jake! Jake! Come back! JAAaaaaacob." My call ended in a growl. Jake sped through the trees—nose close to the ground, bounding after the scent. As a wolf, he was faster than I was—but I did not plan on letting him get too far ahead.

At the river, Jake stopped short, staring ahead. There was a sizable hole in the ice several feet out.

Olivier had disappeared into the water. End of the trail.

Jake did not relax—he was running up and down the river bank.

"Jake, he's in the river—there's no trail, and you are _not_ going in the river after him."

Jake ignored me and stared at the hole, as if he expected Olivier to pop out at any moment.

"Alice will be able to see him. Jake, do not even _think_ about going in after him. He has the advantage in the water. Let's just go back to the house."

I was not having this. I yanked Jake's ear.

He turned a shocked expression on me.

_Home._

He huffed and finally gave me a nod, and we turned and headed back.

Men could be such idiots.

When we got back, the uproar ensued. My dearest father temporarily forgot that he wanted to detach Jake's head from his body, and they both focused on all the possible ways to bump off Olivier. Emmett and Jasper happily joined them in their plotting, and they all sat like great chums on the couches in the front room.

Ridiculous.

Although, perhaps, if he got a good fight out of it, Emmett would forgive me for the mutilation of his sweatshirt, and I could skip out on many long stretched hours of ice-hockey evilness. Getting checked into a boulder by Emmett was not my idea of family fun.

There was clearly nothing I could do in the meantime, so I checked my phone.

Figures. I had eight texts, plus however many messages they had left on my voicemail.

_Nessa-Pleeeeassse Call Me.  
__I want juicy details. May._

The onslaught begins…

_Nessa-Hot.Hot.Fucking Hot.  
__That was a goddamn _Dirty Dancing_ jump  
__--and in the middle of the parking lot.  
__Details. You PROMISED. Alyssa._

I snorted—I had given no such promises.

_Sorry, Ness—Alssya and May said I had to text you too…  
__Since I know how you love being smothered.  
__Ha Ha. Love—Abby._

Sure, because she looked so _incurious_ herself with that tight little smile in the parking lot.

_Oh, ok, I am curious, too.  
__I'd be a liar not to tell you that.  
__I hope you have fun with Jake. ;-)  
__Abby._

Nice, honest girl.

_Nessa-You can't dry hump a deity  
__in the middle of the parking lot  
__and believe your friends don't  
__know what's going on.  
__You can't hide from us, little missy.  
__And I want you to tell me exactly  
__what is going on.  
__--Alyssa._

I loved how a nice hug with an old friend automatically gave her the right to assume: 1. I would later "jump" Jake, and 2. That I would indulge her voyeuristic tendencies.

_Nessa-Wear your Ferrier skirt (the black  
__leather one) with that tailored chiffon top  
_—_then match with the JQZ boots and you  
__are __so set for sex-cess .Voice mail with  
__further suggestions. –May Li_

If I actually wore that outfit my dad would be leaving bloody remnants of Jake all over the orchard.

_Nessa-I just left you a message. We need to  
__Double. You must call me.-Alyssa._

Humph. She _would_ bring Luke into her shenanigans.

_You fucking little over sexed Shirley Temple—  
__you had better call me in the next two hours  
__or you I am going to tell Kevin-Satan that  
__his little cherub wants to spend some time  
__in hell with him. –Alyssa_

Not nice. She would fight dirty wouldn't she? Huh, although it would be pretty funny to see Jake's reaction to meeting Mr. Douche Bag in the flesh…

I stared at my phone for a few more minutes.

I adored my human friends, but how could I ever be fair to them? It's not like I could really tell them much of anything about my life.

So, yeah, hey guys… you know the vamp dude who tried to suck Alyssa dry last weekend? He's got a whopper crush on my six year-old self—dropped an avalanche on me—and then gave me his number and everything—but just now he shredded Uncle Emmy's favorite hockey shirt because he (oops!) saw me trying to violate a gigantic wolf-man in the bushes…

Yep. That would go over so super.

I sent a group text:

_Talk tomorrow.  
__Stop harassing me.  
__Love and more. Nessa._

There—now I just had to figure out what to tell them…

And then I was going to see if I could sneak Jake into my room.


	16. Chapter 16: Lunch Break

Disclaimer - Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer--not me.

* * *

_**Chapter 16: Lunch Break**_

* * *

My mother and Jake drove me to school the next morning. Even if there was some sort of strange truce at the moment, I refused to let my father near Jake and me if I didn't have to.

Stupid mind-reading vampire.

The one thing everyone collectively agreed upon was my _safety_. So, luckily a compromise was brokered, and Jake was going to spend the day outside the school monitoring the "situation" just in case. I had no problem with that.

Before exiting the car, I gave my mother a quick peck on the cheek, and then turned to Jake. He was stretched out across the entire length of the back seat. He looked squished. I giggled, shaking my head slightly. I touched my finger under his chin.

I flashed the image. _Sardine can._

"Sure, sure, still better than the plane, although I gotta say, it's a pretty good thing your dad got a full-sized."

I leaned around my seat to give him a quick, but slightly lingering peck—I knew my mother wouldn't miss a thing—but that didn't mean I wasn't going to have a little fun…

I hopped out of the car—shutting the door and grinning mischievously. I turned and raised my fingers to signal a quick goodbye to the both of them. Jake looked a little pained. Huh. That wasn't what I expected. My mother looked both irritated and slightly amused. Funny. Even though she couldn't read my mind, my mother seemed to know my thoughts almost as well as my father sometimes.

She would head home as soon as the parking lot cleared.

Luckily, I had arrived late enough that the parking lot was mostly empty. Alyssa, May, and Abby had probably already headed to their classes.

I slipped into English to see a very bemused Abby sitting on my desk. Crap. There were still two minutes until class started.

"Hi, Nessa," she greeted me.

"Hi, Abby. How are you?"

"Good. How are you?"

"I'm goo-duh." Oh, help me, did my voice just do that?

Her eyes brightened and she positively beamed at me.

"He kissed you." Not a question.

I squiggled my nose at her and sat down in my chair. She laughed and then started clapping happily.

"Yay! Nessa, that's just the best! I could just tell yesterday it was going to happen—we all could."

She was very sweet. Much sweeter than Alyssa and May were going to be…

Ms. Carter called the class to order, and Abby bounced over to her seat. She kept turning to look at me throughout the lesson, a huge smile spread across her face. Was I really that obvious? But then again, I easily recalled Alyssa's expression at the hospital—so _pathetically_ obvious. If I was half as bad…

I turned my attention to the window. My peripheral vision had been keeping an eye on the Volvo since I walked in the room. I saw my mother's slight figure walking across the parking lot before she suddenly faded into the woods. Now, Jake was all alone—with nothing but boredom to keep him company.

Hmmm…

Oops. Wouldn't you know? Seems like I left my trig homework in the Volvo. I think I'd swear my big toe on it. Seems like I would need to make a quick trip.

I didn't think I would be spending lunch with my friends.

My entrance into German began with a series of squeals and squeaking and swearing (yep, Alyssa). Despite my superior hearing, I did not understand a word of any of it, but Abby seemed to. She answered the two with a very smug nod, and then the squeals and squeaks jumped to operatic decibels.

Next thing I know Alyssa had swiped my phone and was punching a double date with Luke into my calendar alerts, giving me ridiculous winks and nudges the entire time. Meanwhile May Li had grabbed my shirt and was snapping open buttons and adjusting my shirt sleeves.

I still had not said a word. I stood there like a turkey being dressed for Thanksgiving dinner.

Abby sat in front of the three of us with her hand covering her mouth, attempting to stifle an outpouring of giggles.

Once again, I was saved by German class starting. _Danke Gott._

I happily absorbed myself in the lesson. I had actually never studied German before I started this class—granted it did not take me all that long to pick up the general rhythm of things—I spent the first few classes reading through the text while Mr. Kern warbled on and on. I already knew the grammar lesson Mr. Kern was explaining—but I liked listening to his pronunciation. He was from Munich—and so I liked comparing his accent to the standard pronunciation directions in the text. I actually wished he would speak more German…

I only noticed that Alyssa had been kicking my chair when Mr. Kern asked Alyssa if she was having a spasm of some kind.

"Sorry, Mr. Kern." She shot him a dazzling smile, and then she turned the death glare on me.

Oops. I looked over at Abby—to see her anxiously trying to nudge a note in my direction.

But of course, it was from Alyssa.

_Coffee after school? And don't slip up and tell my brother's lover about my own at lunch. –A._

I wrote the reply in German. I told her I was going to be skipping lunch and that I would try to get coffee with her.

I saw her brow furrow when she opened the note. Yeah, uh, huh, that's right. Focus on your German in German class—_not Nessa's love life_. She gave me an evil glare before opening her dictionary to figure out what I'd written. She gasped once she figured out the lunch part.

Crap. She was animatedly trying to capture my attention now.

Give 'em an inch…

Since I was ignoring her, she decided to inform May Li of my little update.

Double trouble.

Now I could see May Li scrutinizing my outfit as if to see how she could get me as close to butt naked as possible without getting me sent to the office.

Finally the bell rang. May Li made a lunge for me, but I ducked under her arm and scampered out the door—barely human speed.

The three of them—along with a few other classmates—watched my hasty retreat.

I caught Alyssa's call as I ran out the front doors. "Do have FUN, Nessa."

And then I was in the parking lot.

He knew I was out here. At this proximity, I could feel the invisible cord between us. I could see his back leaning against the window in the back of the Volvo. He was not facing me, but I knew he could hear every step, every breath, and had probably caught a good deal of the chatter following me out the front doors.

When I opened the car door, he had a very bemused expression on his face.

"Hiya, Jake."

"How's it going, Ness?"

"I thought I might have forgotten my trig homework."

I started crawling in the car.

"Sounds like a fib to me."

I hesitated in front of him, putting on my most fake horrified expression. "A fib? Why would I lie about something like that?"

He yanked me around and into his lap, securing his arms around my waist, and putting his lips to my ear. He whispered huskily, "Because you want me."

I was not going to let him have me so easily. "That's a bit presumptuous don't you think? Really, you—"

But my own words were cut off with my own gasp. I was wearing a pleated wool skit that came to my knees with some knitted tights, yet despite the tights, I could feel Jake's hand slowly sliding up my inner thigh. It was making speaking rather difficult.

"You were saying?" he murmured into my ear.

I think I whimpered.

Then he was kissing me again. Left hand still moving up my thigh, right hand moving to my breast. Lips making my brain shutdown.

And then his left hand reached the end of the alley, so to speak, and he slowly dragged the pad of his thumb up and down.

I moaned. This was wrong—and so right—he was doing this to me in my dad's car in my high school parking lot.

I could feel the pressure and heat building in my core, and once again, it seemed like too much, causing my back to arch away from him—but then Jake grabbed my bronze ponytail and yanked me back to him, pushing me up so that he had full access to my neck. He held me there, kissing me and still running his hand against the crease in my tights.

When he realized I wasn't going to pull away, he released that hand from my hair, still kissing me, and lifted each of my arms so that they reached above his head. I grabbed his hair, needing something to hold onto—but he didn't seem to mind. All the while, the pressure and heat kept building.

I was gasping as he lowered his free hand to my breast, gently cupping and kneading it before his hand continued to my low abdomen, letting his fingers slide under the ban of my skirt. I moaned—I thought he was going to touch me, but then he stopped short and pressed his fingers firmly down in exactly the right spot, and my world exploded.

I was yelling out his name, and he was pushing his thumb even harder against me. I knew he could feel the wetness even through my tights. In between kisses, I could hear his pants alongside mine. My vision blurred and I knew I was going to scream—and in the back of my mind I was still vaguely aware I was in a school parking lot—so I jerked my lips from his and bit into his firm shoulder, and my body disconnected from my mind.

When I came back to reality, I realized that I was tasting blood—and that Jake had an expression that was a mix of pain and total smug self-satisfaction. I drew my face away from his shoulder, gently pressing the skin back together and kissing softly along the crescent while it faded before my eyes.

All the while, I could feel Jake hard against my backside. It seemed like my little bite hadn't killed certain things.

I moved my hand toward him, but he grabbed it and kissed it. "Not now, Ness."

"But J—" He cut me off with a kiss.

"I don't think you could ever know how much I liked hearing you say my name."

This chatter was still not going to distract me from my mission.

"Well, Jake, maybe I want you to say _my_ name." I moved my hand toward him, but once again he pulled it away and kissed it.

"Nope. Time's up. You need to get to class."

I gave a sad little whine. It felt like I had just opened the door to the Volvo, and yet, I looked at the clock and I had about three minutes to get to class.

He laughed and kissed my forehead.

"I don't like leaving you like this." I purposely wiggled my butt against him. He groaned.

"See now, Jake, I suppose you'll have to think of being trapped in a cell with a naked Emmett or something."

"I love you. Leave Ness. It doesn't matter what I think about as long as you are in my line of sight."

"Love you, too." I gave him a quick peck before hopping out of the car and walking up the steps.

I blew him a final kiss and headed back to class.

And now I was the one doing the plotting.


	17. Chapter 17: Movie Time

* * *

Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer-this is fan fiction-just for fun. No sue.

* * *

_**Chapter 17 – Movie Time**_

* * *

The rest of the afternoon was spent in something of a daze. I barely even noticed the conversation as I followed May Li, Alyssa, and some classmates out to our Western Civilization class. The sun, which shone so brilliantly this morning, was now hidden behind cloud cover.

Western Civ was my only class in the Old Annex behind the school. It had formally been the parish convent, but now it held the school library, art studio, and overflow classrooms. As we passed through the gothic doors, I managed to pick up that the current buzz surrounded the mind-boggling hotness of today's history substitute.

It did not take much to rouse the Eastwood population, although I guess it was to be expected, considering the utter dearth of men.

May Li and Alyssa had given up on holding my attention. They were getting the scoop from the Udall twins as we walked down the hall.

I entered the classroom in my haze of Jake-induced happiness only to freeze instantly.

Crap. He was there, standing at the front of the class and conversing silkily with my drooling classmates. Black hair. White skin. Tall and muscular. Dressed in a perfectly-tailored tan suit. Small square glasses. Brown eyes with a strange mahogany cast to them. Olivier.

He fixed his gaze on me—an arrogant glare—before he let his eyes rest one at a time on the creamy necks of the sycophantic group in front of him. His eyes gave a final flicker to Alyssa, and then too fast for anyone but me to see, he licked his lips.

He was making it perfectly obvious what he intended to do if I left.

Once again I was trapped. I wanted to run but if I did—I left a room full of innocent girls unprotected, and I had no doubt in my mind that Olivier would have no qualms in snapping every single last neck.

I sat stiffly in my seat. I looked fixedly away from him, while still keeping his every move within my peripheral vision.

Alyssa seemed to be the only one in the room besides me that was unaffected by Olivier's magnetism. She was staring at the scene in the front of the class with wary eyes. She clearly had no memory of Olivier, yet she knew to fear him. I did find it rather fascinating how the human unconscious seemed to perceive what the conscious mind could not.

May Li, however, was clearly affected by Olivier. She was already drifting towards the front of the classroom. Her eyes were slightly unfocused.

I gave her arm a slight jerk.

"Oh!" She gave a little squeak and looked around as if suddenly comprehending she was no longer in Oz. She quickly sat at her table alongside Alyssa.

Despite his chat with the flock in front of him, Olivier missed none of this. He shot a pointed glance at May Li's neck.

I swore under my breath.

He grinned in response. The grin caused the girls in front of him to swoon such that they practically fell on the floor in front of him.

Olivier ignored them completely and called the class to order.

He sat elegantly on top of the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom. "Good afternoon, ladies. If you would be so _indulgent_, I would like to present myself. My name is Olivier Arent." He turned to the chalkboard behind him and wrote out his name in elegant script.

The girls in the front row seemed to be panting. Ugh.

"Miss Girard had a family emergency early this afternoon and had to leave abruptly. Thus, I had the great fortune of being available to step in for her."

I tried to hide my horror. I really, really hoped that Miss Girard was not dead in a ditch somewhere.

Olivier continued "Since your exam for this course is concluded and the holiday celebrations are nigh upon us, I thought you all might take pleasure in a little classic film. Miss Girard has quite the collection from which to choose."

The class positively tittered—partially because they were hanging onto Olivier's every word and partially because what he said about Miss Girard was something of a school-wide joke. It was well-known that Miss Girard was a lonely spinster with an unfortunate addiction to port wine and classic Britain. She droned on endlessly about the "scandals of the court"—even though our syllabus dictated that we were supposed to be focused on colonialism for the entire semester. I wanted to wretch all over myself, but I kept calm reminding myself that the rest of the class did not know that she might be dead at this very moment.

"I have selected two titles from her shelves—_Sense and Sensibility_ (more girly tittering) and _The Curse of the Werewolf_—which, for a bit of trivia, is based off of what famous novel? Anyone?"

I clenched my fists. I was doing everything I could not to erupt into hysterics. _Curse of the Werewolf_? Olivier was nothing if not blunt.

He shifted his gaze to me, fake curiosity shaping his sharp features. "Young Miss, I believe I saw a flash of _intuition_ in your eyes. Pray tell, would you favor me with the answer to my little trivia question?"

The eyes of my classmates were upon me. It was an uncomfortable feeling. I was rather used to being glance at or spied upon, but these looks were something different. Envy. Jealousy. Irritation. Dislike. Even May Li looked a little put out. It was quite astounding how a spot of male attention could completely transform the natures of otherwise affable girls.

Alyssa was the only one who appeared sympathetic.

I attempted to look as bored as possible. "Guy Endore's _The Werewolf in Paris,_" I said flatly. Jake loved watching bad horror films—even better if they involved werewolves and vampires. Jake, Quinn, Embry, and Seth liked to pile up on the couches at Jake's and down beer and popcorn while laughing their tails off about the fake blood and bad costumes. Crap. Crap. Jake. Crap.

"Correct!" he exclaimed. "Vanessa Masen, isn't it?" Olivier minutely glanced at the clipboard with the seating chart on his lap, as if he was checking to be sure. Whatever I might think, his acting was spot on.

I nodded with my jaw set, and he continued, "Always a charm to see a young woman well-versed in the classics." He smiled at me again, earning me more nasty glares from my classmates. "Vanessa, would you would be so kind as to choose between the two?"

I refused to blink. "I would prefer _Sense and Sensibility_."

He smiled indulgently at me. He let his gaze linger for an unnecessary length of time. Jerk. A few of the girls around me began muttering nasty things under their breaths. _Prima donna, nasty little witch, _and… _worse_. Of course, Olivier and I caught every word. The edge of his mouth twisted in response. It appeared that he was enjoying himself.

He retrieved the video from his desk and began to ready the movie. This was my chance. I knew that I could not handle this situation alone. I needed Jake, my dad, or Alice. I reached for my mobile—no sooner had my hand retrieved it from my pocket than Olivier was clearing his throat loudly.

"Misses Masen, Li, Porter, and Udall, please convey your mobiles to my desk. I must insist that there are no further _distractions_ during our screening."

I grabbed May Li's phone from her hands before she could even move. Carina Porter and Teresa Udall were near the front and already placing their phones on the desk in front of Olivier. Carina, while clearly affected by Olivier's façade, kept her eyes down as she set down her phone. Teresa Udall was not so shy. She gave a sly wink to her twin sister before slowly leaning down in front of Olivier, clearly intending him to get a full view of the long line of her cleavage, and she set down the phone. Olivier watched her detachedly—letting his eyes run down the front of her shirt, but not letting any reaction show.

Ugh. Yuck. Stupid human bimbo. She might as well bite down on an apple and lay herself out on a silver tray like a fatted Christmas pig.

I did not come any closer than necessary. I slid the phones on the desk so that they rolled toward Olivier. I quickly returned to my seat.

He collected the phones and threw them into the top drawer of the desk, and then he hit play and moved to the back of the room to turn out the lights.

Once the lights were out, the atmosphere in the room changed. Despite the sweet little BBC adaption playing on the screen, there was a sense of danger lurking in the room—as if now that the dark had arrived, Olivier's former façade no longer held sway. I saw a few girls turn as if they were going to look behind them, but then they stopped short, as if some alert in their brain told them to keep their eyes focused straight ahead.

Alyssa, May Li, and I were at the tables in the back of the room. Alyssa and May shared table to my left. There was an open chair at my table.

I heard it when Olivier silently slid into the chair next to mine.

* * *

Quick Author's Note: Yay! I'm finally back in my groove--I got a little lost for a while and wrote bad coffee shop dialogue for a while--and then finally realized (*Teacher Olivier*ding*ding*ding*) how to get the story pumping again without totally ruining all of the other plot lines--and yet still defining the villain.

Also _pronunciation_-Olivier is the french version of Oliver--so do not pronounce the R. (oh-LIV-ee-ay and then the last name Arent, same thing (Ah-REN). Much sexier name than plain old Oliver.

Should be updating soon!


	18. Chapter 18: Eyes on the Prize

* * *

Chapter Eighteen - Eyes on the Prize

* * *

Olivier sat poised in the steel chair at my side.

May Li chanced a glance at our table. When Olivier caught her gaze, I could noticeably see her eyes widen and body tense. She turned and fixed her gaze straight ahead. Alyssa did not turn to look.

Olivier chuckled and smiled to himself before turning his face towards mine. He spoke softly, at a decibel level too low for human ears to detect.

"You look luscious. You smell atrocious."

"That's none of your concern," I rasped in a voice as quiet as his.

"On the contrary, it is _my_ concern. I told you in clear words: _NO_ Ken dolls—but perhaps you didn't register my message clearly—your little wolfy friend does not count as an _exception_."

"You have no claim over me."

"You are mine."

"I'm not yours."

"I could just kill you, you know—I bet you'd taste as nice as you smell."

"That would piss my family off."

"Ah, yes, your family. I would rather not kill you, regardless of your family, but I will say, your family is an essential part of the allure. Such a powerful and odd grouping. It makes stealing you away that much more appealing."

"You have no idea whom you're dealing with."

"On the contrary—I have a rather clear idea of whom I'm dealing with."

"No, you don't."

"Oh, you underestimate me, young one. I did my research, asked around, and _the like_. You do have a very _remarkable_ family. Even an old drifter like myself heard of the clash with the Volturi—intriguing material for an otherwise stagnant century of vampiric history."

He tapped his chin bemused. "So, what else did I learn? You are animal-drinkers, trained fighters. A mind-reading father, a foreteller for an aunt, a shield for a mother, an empath for an uncle, not to mention your family's sheer advantage in numbers and connections.

"Now, if I was a nice, plain vampire, I would have given up and run—but I am not so ordinary. I crave a little challenge to spice up the passing of the years, and let's just say that I have a skill that has aided me greatly in my recent reconnaissance."

I eyed him warily. I did not like the idea of him possessing an extra power.

"Oh, now, aren't you the least bit curious, dearest?" His eyes sparkled.

"No."

"Oh, I haven't given you any proper clues though, have I?" Another tap on the chin. "Well, that's not fair. Here's my hint: I was a scout in my human life—a very talented scout."

"You're a tracker."

He cackled. "Not smell. Wrong sense, pretty."

I watched him carefully—conflicted. On one hand, I hated meeting Olivier's gaze, and on the other hand, I felt that I needed to pay attention to protect my family and friends. His eyes seemed to see too much.

"Your eyes."

"Very _good_. Quite quick, aren't you?"

I refused to say anything. I was processing the new information.

Olivier gloated, "When you have eyes a thousand times better than a hawk's, you can just sit on a nearby mountain and see every slight motion of your quarry—even the words formed by their lips. My enhanced sight enabled me to close in on you while you were skiing. It's how I knew where to catch you at school."

"You killed her didn't you?"

"Hmmm? To whom do you refer?" Olivier pretended to look bored.

"Miss Girard. She's dead."

"Oh, the old bat, you mean. Yes, she's dead."

I shuddered and gripped the table, my fist clenching.

"Oh, don't think so badly of me. I was not cruel. In fact, I am rather sure that I made some of her more outrageous fantasies come true." He smiled wickedly. "But don't worry Renesmee, dearest, I just indulged her in petty lines of lively dialogue before I gave her a sweet and final kiss—and really, it was all for you—nothing to be jealous of."

I gasped under my breath. "You murdered her. She was a good person."

"Well, you wouldn't have wanted me to pay my little visit to your class with a dry throat, would you? Upon making our acquaintance, I recall you expressing a preference that I not dine on any of your sweet-smelling little friends, and I must say that I will do my best to be polite and obliging. But…"

He rolled his head and breathed in the aroma of the room. "My benevolence depends on your full and willing cooperation."

"You're threatening my friends."

"If you don't play nice, then I won't either." He leaned toward me.

I leaned away. "You call that playing _nice_? You're trying to force me to become your mate."

"Whether or not you know it, you are already my mate." His hand slid under the table and grabbed my leg. I could feel the icy tingle of his skin through my tights.

"I don't want you."

"Don't fret. I'll make sure you do."

Under the table I raised my hand threateningly toward him—I would defend myself.

"Do you really want to fight me in a room full of humans?" He laughed under his breath. "Firstly, you know you won't beat me—and then all of our witnesses would have to die regardless. A scuffle between the two of us would probably attract attention to the fact that we are not mere humans."

Once again, I was trapped. He was right. There was nothing I could do.

"I'll stay. Let them go."

He shook his head. "I'll let most of them go, but I'd like you two buddies to hang out."

I gasped.

Then, a shrill clang suddenly filled the room, and a voice came over the PA system.

Olivier hissed—almost loud enough for others to hear.

"Mr. Arent?" A female voice blared out from the speakers.

Olivier paused the film and answered in a slightly irritated voice. "How can I help you?"

"Yeeeesss," the voice giggled. "Vanessa Masen needs to come to the office to be excused for a family situation."

Olivier was having a hard time maintaining his human façade. His body was far too rigid.

He was in a bind. If he kept me here, he'd have to come up with a reason, and there was no reason that wouldn't arouse the suspicions of the room. He could simply kill everyone in the room—but then he'd lose his hold on me. I could see it on his face when he reached the same conclusion.

"Go ahead, Miss Masen," he commanded in a falsely cheerful voice. "I'm sure we'll see eachother again."

I walked stiffly to the door—fully aware of the eyes on my back.

A whisper followed me into the hall: "Don't worry, dearest. I promise you I won't be lonely while you're gone."

I didn't know what to do. I needed help, so I ran.


	19. Chapter 19: Southern Surprise

Disclaimer - Twilight is Stephenie Meyer's.

* * *

_Chapter Nineteen – Southern Surprise_

* * *

"_Go ahead, Miss Masen," he commanded in a falsely cheerful voice. "I'm sure we'll see eachother again."_

_I walked stiffly to the door—fully aware of the eyes on my back. _

_A whisper followed me into the hall: "Don't worry, dearest. I promise you I won't be lonely while you're gone."_

_I didn't know what to do—I needed help, so I ran._

_Human pace. Human pace. Human pace._ I repeated the words again and again, as my thoughts became a mantra and my legs carried me forward with a stiff and drum-like rhythm.

As I rounded the final corner, I saw Jake and my mother standing in the doorway of the main office. Before I could utter a sound, they had a lock on both of my arms and were half-carrying me out the main doors. Alice was ready with the Volvo at the bottom of the steps.

I realized we were leaving.

I grabbed the hands of both Jake and mom and tried to drive my heels into the pavement.

_No. No. No. He has my friends. There are four of us. We have to go back. We can stop him._

Neither Jake nor my mom slowed.

_Let me go. He'll KILL them. Let. Me. Go. _

Jake threw open the door—and my mom tried to push me in the car—but I braced myself, arms and legs spread so I could not be shoved in. I was not leaving. I was still half a vampire. Unless Jake phased and they cracked both of my arms—they were not getting me into the car.

"Nessie," Alice moaned from the driver's seat. "You can't go back."

"I have to!" I demanded.

"I _saw_, Nessie. Go back and _they all die_. If we fight him, we will win, but at the expense of every single girl in your class."

_Alyssa. May. Carina. Maryanne. Julia. The Udall twins. _Their faces flashed through my mind.

My arms and legs went limp, and then I was in the car. We were leaving.

* * *

I lay wallowing in misery on my bed. My brain was not in a happy place. I was corralled, trapped, and worst of all being "protected." Like a damn baby. I could snap a 300 pound man in eight pieces in less than a second, and yet here I was being prevented from leaving my room.

The rest of my family was gathered in the main house while my mother kept watch over me. She sat on the floor with her back up against my bed.

My family told me that everything was going to be okay. They said they'd _take care of it_. They said my friends would be _fine_.

I did not believe a word.

Jake had abandoned me to go strategize with the lot of them. I begged him to stay with me—but instead he told me that it wasn't what I _needed_. Apparently I _needed_ to be "protected."

Imprints suck. It also sucked that I was pathetically in love with him. Whatever happened to good old fashioned head-over-heels, I'll-do anything-for-you passion and love? What happened to giving into want over need? Argh.

I had been trying to figure out how to get back at him, when my "concerned" father intervened. At first he had seemed cheered that I was pissed at Jake—but I suppose that as my brainstorming for retaliation took on a more, well, erotic nature, he decided to step in. Thus, I was stuck in my room.

In my misery, I began reciting every last bit of anomalous, half-crocked poetry that I could summon. I did it to soothe myself—and also because I knew it would keep my mother from talking to me and my father from hearing my thoughts.

I began by going straight down the literary rabbit hole with the _Jabberwocky_—"One, two! One, two! And through and through/the vorpal blade went snicker-snack!!" I was happily chasing down the evil villain (who looked remarkably like Olivier) in my head and taking his ass _down_.

Then I moved on to enthusiastically chant good ole Sylvia Plath. _Daddy._ I had a feeling my father was monitoring me, and really, there was no better way to flip him the mental bird than to recite that poem.

Hah! My mother looked like she wished she had a physical as well as a mental block. Oh, well. Yes, mummy and daddy dearest—_this is what you get when you treat your almost-adult child like a two-year old and refuse to allow her to participate in the decision-making and planning regarding HER life!_

Humph.

Next I sang out a few Tang dynasty pieces, mostly drunken Li Po pieces. I decided that I really need to try out getting drunk soon—try out a Bloody Mary. I deserved to try the human experience. I wondered if I would even like the taste? It did not smell particularly yummy. Would it be sick if I used actual blood? Tomato juice was disgusting. I'd have to figure this out later, though.

Crap. Control my thoughts. Control my thoughts. Dad would hear and try to lock me in a crypt.

My anger was being replaced by impatience so I started chiming out the wonderfulness that was Edgar Allen Poe.

_Keeping time, time, time  
In a sort of Runic rhyme,  
To the throbbing of the bells -  
Of the bells, bells, bells: -  
To the sobbing of the bells: -  
Keeping time, time, time,  
As he knells, knells, knells,  
In a happy Runic rhyme,  
To the rolling of the bells -  
Of the bells, bells, bells -  
To the tolling of the bells -  
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells,  
Bells, bells, bells, -  
To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. [Last stanza of The Bells]_

And then I heard the front door of the main house open, and I saw my father, Jasper, Emmett, and Carlisle run into the night. They were going after him.

I gave a mighty sigh, before jumping off my bed and just as quickly out the window. My mother did not stop me. She followed closely and lithely behind me.

* * *

The women of the house, plus Jacob, sat in the couches in the living room. They were not speaking.

I found Jake's eyes—but he broke the stare and looked away.

I understood immediately. They were hiding something. Each of them wore their poker faces, my mother the lone exception. Even as a vampire, she was a pretty terrible liar. Hmmm. The reason for her watching over me instead of others was beginning to become clear.

I turned my focus on Alice. Alice would have seen Olivier in the future. She would have seen my friends. She would know.

I sat down on the old oak coffee table in front of her. I pointedly ignored Jacob, the traitor. I rested my palm on Alice's shoulder. _Alice, what did you see?_

She refused to answer me.

_Alice, where are my friends?_

I watched her carefully. She didn't move an inch. She was perfectly still. Alice, unfortunately, could actually keep a secret.

Suddenly, her eyes fogged and her expression broke.

The entire room turned to watch her warily.

"They're here!" she exclaimed happily.

Everyone looked up, surprised and slightly confused.

"Who?" Rose asked, her voice expressing her confusion.

Alice began madly flying around the room—straightening vases and smoothing wrinkles in rugs and curtains.

And then we heard the sounds of approach from the south. I listened carefully. Two, four—five. There were five approaching.

Alice did not wait for us. She ran to the back door and out to the back porch.

We followed.

Five figures were racing through the orchard. I first recognized Zafrina—the fastest—followed by Kachiri and Senna. The final two, I heard before I saw their faces. Nahuel and Estela.

They had come early.

* * *

They were up on the porch in less than a few seconds. Zafrina found me first.

We did not speak at first, but touched our finger tips together. It had been our habit since I was very small.

"You have grown much, my friend." She let her images accompany her thoughts. She showed me how much I had changed. She could see my growing strength, the new fierceness in my expression, and my transformation from girl-child into woman.

I loved talking to Zafrina—it was strangely fulfilling. Our powers always seemed to allow us to communicate on a much deeper level. There were never miscommunications. Just pure exchange. I also loved the fact she never treated me as a child.

_You have NO idea how happy I am that you are here._

"We have much to discuss, my Nessie." She smiled indulgently.

"Mi, Mina! Ge' your prrritty hind end over to Estela!" Before I could turn to face her, Estela had me clasped in a tight hug. "I heard a nasty _turro _is sending the _ratones_ your way, eh? I'm right, no?"

_You heard. Is that why you're early?_

Her mouth opened to speak—but then Alice grabbed her away from me at the same time that Rosalie shoved me into a different set of arms.

I looked up to see the dark eyes of Nahuel smiling down at me. I smiled back.

Over Nahuel's shoulder I could see Jake.

Jake looked pissed.


	20. Chapter 20: Wolf and the Jungle Cat

_Disclaimer_: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.

Author's Note: Hey, you guys--here's the next chapter up quickly! Why? First, because I got over the 100 review mark. YAAAY! Second, because some horrid jerk smashed out the window in my car, and I had to spend the day waiting for the repairman to come replace it. Also, I wanted to say that even though I'm not great about responding to reviews, I love reading them as much as the next person. I really take your comments seriously. Little note on the side--Estela's eyes are similar (though more mottled) to those of the famous "Afghan Girl" photo. I had a friend in Venezuela whose eyes were just amazing in the same way that Estela's are in this chapter. Wild and beautiful.

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty: The Wolf and the Jungle Cat**_

* * *

_Alice grabbed [Estela] away from me at the same time that Rosalie shoved me into a different set of arms_.

_I looked up to see the dark eyes of Nahuel smiling down at me. I smiled back._

_Over Nahuel's shoulder I could see Jake._

_Jake looked pissed._

* * *

I rolled my eyes.

I was not going to be a jerk to Nahuel just because Jake (the traitor) was suddenly wrestling the green monster. Besides, I could not help but notice that Jacob looked surreally attractive when angry. His sharp jaw clenched and his almost-black eyes shot daggers at me.

It was yummy.

Besides, Nahuel was a treasured friend. Like Jake, he was so _warm _and comforting. He was the only male of my kind. He understood my half-vampire freakiness. Ever since we visited South America about two years back, I had been a kindred companion to him and his sisters—except Lican.

Lican could drown in the Styx for all I cared.

Nahuel's encounter with our family began his "change." By the time he returned to South America, the Volturi had already made dust of Joham. Then, when his aunt Huilen found a mate, Nahuel stopped hunting humans. He finally felt a chance for redemption—a way to show his devotion to the human mother he never knew. He also began spending more time with his half-sisters. This had not gone over well at first. Lican, the eldest, refused to forgive him for his role in Joham's death. His second sister Nulpi did forgive him but stayed with Lican. It was Estela, the youngest, who joined Nahuel in his new _lifestyle_.

Estela was the palest of her sisters—her skin had a lovely honey color. Of course, she was sublimely beautiful, as beautiful as Rosalie, if in a different way. I was accustomed to people waxing poetic about how my almond-shaped, milk chocolate eyes were just "enchanting"—but I knew better. Estela possessed the most beautiful eyes in the world. They were enormous, thickly lashed tiger eyes—a ring of indigo with a feathering of gold and green clashing against a deep brown in the center.

Wildy beautiful and she knew how to use them.

Estela had joined Nahuel with the caveat that they move to Buenos Aires. She was tired of living in the woods. She wanted access to clothes, money, and men.

Alice adored Estela.

The two women were in the midst of half-frisking each other as each examined the design, stitching, and detailing of the other's apparel. Alice's soprano-high voice was exclaiming in wonder over Estela's laced thigh-high boots. Only _Estela_ would wear thigh-highs to _run_ in.

Estela ran a high-end boutique in Buenos Aires that specialized in converting traditional ethnic clothing into modern fashion. Alice had assisted her with setting up the venture. The two could talk endlessly about the history of fashion and future trends and so on, on and on and on.

I turned my attention back to Nahuel. We walked to the porch swing at the end of the patio and sat. Mom had engaged Jacob in conversation—but I could see that he was monitoring me out of the corner of his eye. Stupid, over-protective imprint boy. I grabbed Nahuel's hand to "speak" to him.

_How's urban life?_

"Good. It is the life Estela necessitates." He paused and smiled. "I consider myself content. I gained my degree from UBA at last—history."

_Nahuel! Why didn't you tell me? You should have let me know._

"It is a small thing. Not a difficult degree when you have lived a century and a half, but nevermind, there was still much to learn. I believe it was a proper start."

_What's next? Are you going to do research or what?_

"Presently, I believe my path is headed toward teaching. I will continue to stay in the capitol, but there is much I can do, so many of the Mapuche myths and histories have already been forgotten."

_Nahuel, you have to tell me the myths again. I love hearing them. _I replayed my favorites in his head. _The gruesome wars between the goddesses Ten Ten-Vilu and Coi Coi-Vilu—and the tale of King Millalonco, child of the love affair twixt a beautiful Maphuche maiden and a sea lion._

"You know, I have often wondered about the origin of that story."

_The celestial bitch fight or the seal baby?_

"Lovingly termed."

_You know I love them. Which one?_

"The latter. A half-sea lion child? That seems more improbable to me than a half-vampire."

_But then again, so many myths…_

Nahuel finished my sentence for me, "Are based in truth. Yes. Your friend Jacob actually gave me a great deal of food for thought in this regard. He's a shape-shifter. I wonder if there used to be other kinds of shape-shifters."

_I will say, I think a wolf would be preferable over the sea lion to the fair maid._

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

_Wouldn't a sea lion be very slippery?_

Nahuel—normally so intense and serious—burst into laughter. "Ness, please tell me you haven't taken to kissing the wildlife."

I wrinkled my nose at him, but I also blushed.

He looked at my face speculatively.

I decided _now_ would be an opportune time to change the subject.

_How's the whole not-drinking-humans thing going?_

"Good. No errors since before you last visited. We continue to hunt onthe _pampas_ and the surrounding jungles, as you might expect. Also, Argentine Angus is among the world's best, so we dine out for prime rib on the sporadic evening. And how are you, Nessie? You are six and a quarter years now, no?" His gaze swept from my toes and back up to my eyes.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jake twitch irritably.

"Indeed, I am." I grinned widely. "In fact, I don't know if you heard, but I started school."

"I heard, and I heard it has caused you some trouble."

My grin died. I frowned. "Yes, if that's what you call it…"

Nahuel held my eyes in an intense stare. "Ness, you have naught to fear. We will defend you." I felt the finger tips of his free hand gently graze the edge of my knee.

Hah! Nahuel was hitting on me.

I saw Jake jerk his head. His eyes bore into mine.

I pointedly avoided the traitor's stare.

Seemingly unaware of my interaction with Jacob and seeing that I had not withdrawn, Nahuel took the opportunity to tenderly pull me into his arms. I let him.

As Nahuel hugged me, I felt his warmth engulf me. It could not be ignored—my childhood friend was ridiculously fine-looking. It was nigh impossible not be attracted to his warm teak eyes, rich mocha skin, and sculpted form.

Still, a hug between friends was nothing to throw a hissy fit over.

Apparently, Jake thought differently.

He marched across the porch and sat in an iron wrought chair directly in front of the swing, speaking briskly. "I agree with Nahuel's former statement, Ness. You should be wary of dangerous men."

I stared at him—half flabbergasted, half seriously amused.

Nahuel was staring from my face to Jake's, trying to figure out what he was missing.

Estela, ever observant, decided to jump into the increasingly tense conversation. "Oh, Nessie! Too beeeautiful for your own good! All these big, strong men a'runnin' around after your loveliness!"

I rolled my eyes for the umpteenth time tonight. Estela never spoke plainly.

"Oh, and I _must_ see that ring." She snatched my hand. "So prrritty." She purred, carefully going over the woven pattern. "It's from Jakey, no?"

I expected to see "Jakey" frowning at Estela's nickname from him—but instead he looked remarkably smug. Then, I noticed that Nahuel's lips were pursed as he examined the ring.

I didn't get a chance to respond. Jake cut in. "Yes, it is. I made it for her, and she accepted."

"Oooh, Jakey!" She skipped towards him and pulled his two hands into her own. "You _will_ teach me the weave. I think I will _die_ if I do not learn it! I could sell something similar to this in my store." She cried excitedly. "You've given me a fountain of inspiration!"

She paused minutely and lowered her head to the side thoughtfully, before a devilish grin overtook her expression. "Jakey, you _absolutamente_ must present me to your sexy pack brothers. I've heard _much_ about them. I'm so _weary_ of having to choose between these _weak_ little dumpling men and chilly, stony, self-deified vampires, and if your brothers are anything like you," she purred, "then I have much to look forward to." She moved her body closer to Jake.

Right. I no longer liked Estela.

Estela was dangerously close to having her prriitty little eyes gouged out.

To his credit, Jake gave a polite affirmative and stepped back immediately. Huh. Maybe the imprint thing wasn't so bad.

I departed from the swing and sat in the chair next to Jake's, puting my arm around his waist and pulling him towards me.

Estela's eyes twinkled in amusement. Horrid she-devil that she was, she was having fun with this.

Nahuel missed nothing this time, and he did not look happy about the current location of my arm around Jake.

"I don't know if you should entertain a visit to Jake's pack, _hermanita_. The odor might offend."

"Nahuel—don't be rude. We don't have the same nasal receptors that vampires do, and Jake smells musky, smoky, fiery…" she inhaled deeply.

Shrew. Witch. Harlot. Stop talking about my man!

"Either way, one should take caution among their lot. Control is always an issue."

Jake growled under his breath. "Sure, sure, because that's so much worse than venom-coated teeth."

"_We_ are half-vampires," Nahuel countered. The "we" was definitely meant to include me.

"Your venom is poison."

Nahuel stood. He stared Jake fiercely in the eyes. "There's only one way to find out."

Jake stood and immediately began to shake. I knew he was about to take the bait when both Estela and I jumped in front of him.

"Down, down, mi perrito," she lectured playfully.

"Jake, drop it. Okay?" I pushed him into his chair.

His jaw was clenched, and his stare was fixed on Nahuel. I grabbed his jaw and forced his eyes to meet mine. His tremors gradually subsided.

Nahuel looked amused.

I realized the porch was perfectly quiet. None of my family and friends had missed the spat.

The sound of an approaching vehicle broke the silence. We listened as it pulled to a stop in front of the house.

Alice spoke, "Delivery."

I didn't wait for any additional discussion. I was ready to get away from the pissing contest.

"Got it!" I called as I left the porch and ran through the house. I opened the front door and walked down the front steps to meet the driver. He paused in astonishment as he realized I was standing in front of him.

"Delivery?" I reminded him.

"Oh. Sorry, miss. Sign right here."

I signed the form, and he handed me the package and headed back to his truck in something of a daze. Huh. Maybe I should stop him from driving?

But then I saw the writing on the package.

It was addressed to me.

I slid my finger along the seal and pulled out the item inside.

It was my mobile, the same mobile that had been left at the front of my Western Civ class.

I was staring at it, when it suddenly beeped.

I flipped it open.

I had a text message.


	21. Chapter 21: Seeing in the Dark

Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

**AN**: The following chapter is a sort of extra--it's not necessary to continue with the plot, but really, I couldn't help myself.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One: Seeing in the Dark

* * *

He lay stretched across the couch in the darkened hotel room. His eyes were focused on the view from the window, but they still took in everything around him. The narrow room was ghastly, decorated with an outlandish geese theme. A hunter green bed spread clashed horribly with the rust-colored bedside lamps. To top it all, the couch was in pastels. Olivier cringed internally.

He would normally not be here, except that the room afforded him an excellent view of the small town. From the third story window, he could see the tiny dots that were his pursuers. He laughed with the hilarity of the situation. The golden-eyes were stumped. He could see it on their faces.

Too, too, too easy.

After he had taken care of his initial business, he had prepared for the chase. From his observations, he had known they would come, and they did. He knew that all he had to do was keep out of the mind-reader's range—not particularly difficult. The little future-seeing sprite was a bigger problem. He believed he had that covered, though. Lovely Bernie had told him: avoid giving away your location, don't go to the obvious places, don't plan ahead, and change your plans constantly. He had followed the advice to the letter and just hopped into a car at the last minute. He knew he needed to go somewhere nondescript, and this latrine of an establishment suited.

He sighed happily—this was really too much fun. Who knew a little doe-eyed creature could be the source of such diversion?

He did cringe slightly though. Her imprudence with the mutt vexed him considerably. Fooling with her family was fun, but watching her with the mongrel was insulting. He had promised her that he would stomp out any rivals—and he would not forswear his pledge.

He grimaced. It was disconcerting how little he knew about the hound, however. He had been unable to garner much information from either his sources or his surveillance. He had only observed him once, when he transformed for a short period of time.

No matter, he concluded. It would also be properly managed in due course.

In the meantime, he needed to punish sweet Renesmee for her indiscretions.

His eyes left the window to stare at the clock. She would be any minute now—he had sent the text an hour ago.

A soft knock sounded on the door.

He smirked. She was early. The hussy could probably barely contain herself. He stood and languidly made his way to the door way. He could hear her impatience—gritting teeth, little sniffs, and small curses under her breath.

"For fuck's sake, Luke, would hurry up and open the door?"

He swung the door open and pulled her into the room. She did not have a chance to scream or shout or utter a sound. He pulled her into the room and pressed her onto the bed. Alyssa stared at him in horror.

He stroked her cheek, and she cringed in response. "That's right, dear girl. I am not your Luke."

She opened her mouth to scream, but he immediately pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her.

"Scream and you die."

Silent tears began drizzling down her cheeks.

"Now, my lamb, you're going to do me a favor and hold still while I snap a quick photo of the two of us."

With that, he slid her phone out her coat. Then, he pulled Alyssa's tearstained face alongside his. He snapped the photo.

Priceless.

The girl collapsed into a sobbing heap. He ignored her.

Now it should only be a few more minutes, he considered—but then his phone beeped. He opened his messages and saw the alert. His package was delivered. Delivery tracking was a wonderful feature.

He picked up Alyssa's phone once again. He typed in a few lines and then attached the photo.

He clicked the button and sighed contentedly.

Message sent.

Olivier stretched out his arms and lay back on the bed. Now, all he had to do was wait.


	22. Chapter 22: Suffer No Fools

_Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the shiznit and it all belongs to her._

**AN**: I apologize in advance—it really isn't my intention to end every chapter in a cliffie—it just seems to keep happening, however. I think writing Olivier just puts me in a sadistic mood, and I can't help it.

Thank you for your reviews! They really keep me motivated.

Also, I know I'm always looking for good fanfiction to read, so I thought I'd share. If you're looking for some really good _smut_ to read, check out Bittersweet Symphony on my Favs page. So gooood.

* * *

_**Chapter 22 – Suffer No Fools**_

* * *

I started when I saw the message alert on my phone. The message was from Alyssa.

I clicked to open the message.

_Dearest Renesmee-_

_Alyssa has been so gracious  
__as to join me for dinner,  
__but I'd much rather have you.  
__Please disengage  
__from your family,  
__and then kindly call  
__when you are alone.  
__Call from a new phone.  
__If any follow, the girl dies.  
__Looking forward to it.  
__-O._

And then I saw the picture.

Alyssa's pale eyes were stretched in horror as Olivier's lips pressed against her jaw. My stomach rolled. Bile rose in my throat. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I realized he would never stop. He would go to any length. He would kill her without blinking an eye. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't, because I needed to save her.

I acted without thinking. I threw my phone and the envelope into the hedge, and I ran. The delivery truck had just started to pull down the road. I silently hopped onto the back bumper, easily balancing myself. Given the banging and sputtering of the truck's engine, I didn't think my family heard me, but I kept my eyes on the villa as the truck pulled over the crest of the hill. The front door did not open. The truck roared even louder as it sped down the hill, careening slightly as it rounded the end of the drive. The villa completely disappeared from view, and the truck continued into the woods.

I knew I needed to cover my scent, but I had no time. They would realize my absence soon. My overactive brain considered multiple plans as the truck drove ahead. Hot-wiring a car, hitchhiking, hailing a cab, public transportation, but then the scenery changed as the truck made an impromptu turn. Even with no moon visible in the night sky, the St. Lawrence Bay shimmered, a beacon.

I knew what I had to do. Water would cover my scent completely—and it would hide me from Alice. I jumped from the back of the truck, landing easily on the guardrail. I took a deep breath at the edge of the river bluff. There was no turning back now. I swung my arms back, before springing into the air and flying toward the black-blue expanse. When I hit the water, I did not slow but dove into the depths and kept swimming.

* * *

I pulled myself out of the Bay several miles down. There was a 24-hour truck stop just off the Bay here. Keeping myself under the cover of the pines, I ran to the phone booth at the edge of the parking lot. I plugged in a few coins and dialed Alyssa's number.

The phone rang once before it clicked.

"Are you alone, dear one?"

I almost hissed.

"I'm alone. They didn't see me leave. Let her go. Leave her in a safe place. I'll come on my own," I sputtered out in a single breath.

He laughed lightly. "Do really take me for a fool? Your family is trying to hunt me down at this moment—not that they're having much success—but you must know that I'm not letting your little comrade loose until I have you securely in my arms."

My breath caught in my throat.

"Promise me you won't touch her."

"Oh," he cackled. "I don't intend her any harm—that is, unless you're late or you bring friends. I don't tolerate tardiness, and I don't share."

"I told you that I am alone. I won't be late. Do not touch her. Where are you?"

"Hush, Renesmee," he shushed. "I am the one asking the questions. Now, where are _you_?" he demanded smoothly.

"On the south side of the Bay by the new pier."

"Hmmm. Perfect. Very perfect. Listen carefully, Nessa. The sweet pulse of your little friend depends on it. You will head north. Swim until you reach the Twin Sisters. You know where that is?"

"Yes."

"You will wait on the smaller of the two, facing north. You will get a signal and then you will come."

"Signal? I don't understand," I gasped.

"Oh, but you will. You didn't think I would make it easy, did you?"

I said nothing.

"We'll be waiting," he cooed.

The line clicked.

And again, I was in the water.

* * *

My thoughts were entirely devoted to figuring out this situation. I just needed to get Alyssa _away_. I just had no idea how to do it. I knew that my only choice was to face this head on. Olivier was too good at managing things from afar. I had to close in. I had to find a way to beat him.

Though I didn't feel the effects of the cold, I could sense the temperature dropping as I swam farther north. Swimming became more difficult. The bank was completely frozen on this side, and I had to swim under long swaths of ice. I still need to come up for air, and it slowed me down.

I reached the Twin Sisters after what seemed like an eternity. The ice was thick around the islands, so I had to pull myself up on the edge. I ran across the ice to the smaller of the two islands. Besides a few boulders and some scraggly pines, it wasn't much of an island. There was no sign or scent of Olivier.

I shook myself off quickly, trying to get the water out of my hair and my clothes before they froze.

I scanned the horizon looking for whatever signal Olivier had mentioned.

Then, I saw it.

Three flashes of light. They shone from the lighthouse on the cliff.

The lighthouse had a perfect view for almost miles around. Crap. I stomped, making the ice shudder and crack under my feet.

I stilled, then, because I realized he could see my reaction now, even if I couldn't see him.

I imagined him laughing hysterically.

There was no point in delaying. I glided across the ice to the cliff at the edge of the river. I began to climb.

* * *

The wind blew madly at the top of the cliff.

The front door of the lighthouse hung open, slamming and creaking as the wind smacked it back and forth.

I moved carefully toward the lighthouse, taking in my surroundings. I could see the flickering remnants of the lamps at the very top. The flickers of orange light gave a horrible complement to the black night. I could also smell both Alyssa and Olivier. Alyssa's smell was strongest. She smelled of fear—and anguish. My chest pained. I had done this to her.

I carefully made my way into the stone antechamber. It was bare and empty except for a lone ladder. I could make out a hatch in the low ceiling above it.

I leapt to the top of the ladder in single jump. I carefully pushed up on the hatch to reveal a well-lit room above.

I was about to pull myself up when two cold hands grabbed and yanked me into the room.

Olivier slammed me against the wall and pressed his body into mine.

Over his shoulder, I stared into the eyes of Alyssa, huddled between empty crates in the corner. I looked intently into her eyes, trying to convey to her that I was here for her, trying to tell her that I was her friend, trying to apologize in some pathetic way.

She stared back blankly. She was in shock.

Having secured my arms behind my back, Olivier pushed his face against mine, blocking Alyssa from my view. His crimson eyes bore into mine, less than an inch away.

"You came," he declared haughtily, and then his cold mouth forced itself over mine.

* * *


	23. Chapter 23: Fight or Flight or Fall

Disclaimer: All the character's in Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. My characters and this little story belong to me, but that's about it.

**Author's Note:** This is rather violent chapter. That's your warning. I'm not going to overdo the warning. Just know that you've been warned. And please don't hate me.

* * *

_**Chapter 23: Fight or Flight or Fall**_

* * *

"_You came," he declared haughtily, and then his cold mouth forced itself over mine._

I couldn't jerk my head away. As his lips pressed firmly into mine, I could feel the edges of his teeth barely grazing my bottom lip, and more importantly, I could taste the icy venom. If I jerked or fought, he only had to sink his teeth in.

Olivier glowed with his sense of victory. There was the edge of a smirk at the corner of his mouth. His eyes danced. He kissed me roughly but lazily. There was a subtle swagger in his hips, even as he kept me pinned.

Cocky, fucking fiend.

His right hand kept my arms pinned behind me, but he used his left to ferfociously grope and pinch my breasts. It hurt, and I knew that he meant it to. He was punishing me, unhurriedly. He was dominating me because he could.

He finally stopped the assault on my mouth. He lowered his face to my neck and took in a long breath. I could still feel the slightest edge of his teeth trailing the boundary of my skin.

"You smell so much better," he purred against my throat. "I'm so very glad that you decided to take a swim. You reeked of that dog before, and we couldn't be having that."

I said nothing and fixed my gaze on the only window in the room. I focused on the dark, empty gorge beyond it. I tried to focus on the nothingness of it, because that's all I wanted to feel—nothing.

"Oh, Renesmee, sweetheart. Let's not be that way."

I remained silent, staring at the black vista outside.

Olivier's voice roughened in irritation. "Don't be rude, _dear_. If you start being rude, then I might have to be rude, too. You should know that such impolite _transgressions, _as we'll call them, might prove detrimental to the continued existence of your little friend in the corner."

I peered around his head to see Alyssa. Her face was turned away from me, but I could make out the tear stains on her cheeks and the puffiness of her eyes. Her eyes had taken on a wild appearance now, as if they had traveled beyond suffering and shock, like a fly caught in a spider's web or a mouse trapped beneath a cat's paw. She looked like she was waiting to die.

"Please," I begged. "Let her go. You have me here now. Just let her go. This has nothing to do with her."

Olivier cackled in response. "Oh, but she was supposed to be dead already. You're the one who got in the way and saved her. Besides you have a long road ahead to earn my trust, mademoiselle."

I saw Alyssa's form give a slight jerk as she took in his words. Her eyes rolled slowly to meet mine.

Olivier resumed his attack on my body. His free hand now moved down my side and seized my ass, lifting me slightly off the floor.

I thought about kicking him, but then his teeth pressed noticeably firmer against my neck, and I suspended the thought.

Keeping me pressed against the wall, he wrenched his hand down my thigh, yanking my entire leg up. I was still wearing the skirt and tights from school. I hadn't had the chance to change. Through my tights, I could feel him; his hardness was pressed against me. I recoiled, jerking away, but he used my response as a reason to pin me even more tightly. I heard the wall of the building groan slightly as it responded to the pressure.

I could see Alyssa's face again over my shoulder. There was new sense of shock to her features as her mind processed the scene. This time the shock was directed at me. No human could have withstood the force with which Olivier was pressing against me. The wall had started to give, but I had not. Alyssa now knew that I wasn't human.

I spoke in a gasp. "I'll do whatever you want, but I dofn't want her to see this. Can't she go in a different room?"

Olivier studied my face carefully.

I don't know what he saw, but he pursed his lips and leered mockingly. "Alright, Nessa, I suppose a little privacy wouldn't hurt. It might make you more _agreeable_."

Before he released my arm, he raised a finger to my throat—a threat.

He started towards her. Alyssa whimpered and flung herself against the back wall, frantically pushing off the crates with her feet and knocking a cloud of dust into the air.

"Wait! Olivier, stop! Please don't touch her. Let me move her. She's my friend. You know I can't escape with her. You would catch us. You can follow. Just let me."

Olivier put his finger on his lips, eyeing me skeptically. "Very well," he concluded, "but since I'm being so _charitable_, you have to promise me that you'll be a _complying_ and _sweet_ girl when I have you all to myself."

I swallowed heavily, before nodding my head. This was it. It was my only chance. I had to save her.

He gestured to proceed.

I moved slowly toward Alyssa. She eyed me distrustfully but not fearfully. I crouched down carefully beside her. I slid my hand onto her forearm.

_Alyssa, you must listen to my thoughts, not my words. Don't give us away. We need to save you._

"Alyssa, I need to move you," I said aloud.

She jerked slightly at my touch but nodded her head slowly. Her mouth was slightly open, but I was hoping that Olivier would assume it was her panicked state instead of my talent at work.

_Alyssa, he is going to be distracted with me. You need to move as quickly and quietly as possible. You need to get out of here. You must try. This is our only chance._

I turned to Olivier. "Where should I take her?"

"Take her upstairs."

"It will be too cold for her." I could feel the temperature difference.

He rolled his eyes, before flinging his coat at me. As he flung it, I saw the silver edge in the pocket. A phone.

"Alyssa, is it okay if I put the coat on you? You'll need to lift your arms."

_Once you are alone, use the phone in the coat pocket. Mute it. You need to cry, stomp, sob and make any noises possible to cover the sounds from pushing the buttons. He will hear you if you don't. You are going to text _my_ phone. I know that you know my number. Do not call it. He will hear. Text: SOS. Twin Sisters Lighthouse. Alyssa + Nessie. Hurry._

Once I had the coat on her, I lifted her up easily into my arms. She didn't look surprised this time. Olivier already had the hatch open for the next level. I clutched Alyssa carefully against me before ignoring the ladder and leaping up to the next level of the lighthouse.

Olivier pointed to a musty-smelling old couch in the corner. "Put her there."

_Alyssa_,_ as soon as you've sent the text, get yourself as far away as possible. _

I set her down carefully. "I'm going to go upstairs, Alyssa. Will you be okay?"

She stared at me.

_You can do this. You have to do this. I know you can. You're strong._

"Tell Luke that I loved him."

I gripped her hand more tightly. _Alyssa you _will_ see Luke again._

"Don't worry," I said slowly.

Olivier yanked on my shoulder. "You've tested my patience enough, pretty. It's time to go." He pointed to a spiral staircase that led to another hatch further up.

"But I thought we'd go back down."

"No, dearest," he cooed pushing me toward the staircase. "We should go up. You should know that I like the view, and you promised that you would be _complying_."

He pressed his entire body against the back of mine, moving me forward. I gave in, and made my way to the stair. I took the steps one at a time, knowing that I was pissing off Olivier by the second.

With a final glance toward my friend, I opened the small door and ducked through.

* * *

The final level of the lighthouse was the lantern room. The room was somewhat smoky. A few of the lamps flickered dully.

Olivier closed the door firmly behind him. He turned and walked directly toward me. He pushed against me, causing me to back up until I hit the windowed wall of the room. Then he pressed down on my shoulders until I dropped to the stone floor. He stood above me, his expression blank.

"I'm going to let you keep your hands free, because you promised to be good."

He knelt down over my legs. He grabbed my jaw and pulled my face to his, thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

I sat there, pressed against the wall. My ears were tuned to the sounds of the floor beneath me.

Olivier noticed my lack of response. He grabbed entire face roughly, forcing me to look at him.

"Sweet and complying means that you kiss me back, Nessa. Otherwise, I'm bringing your little friend up here, and I might just make her join in."

I gulped.

He nodded at my reaction. "That's right. You're beginning to understand. Now, Nessa, dearest, you are going to kiss me. Do recall that I've seen you kiss another, so I'll know if you're half-assing the attempt. Now, bring those lips hither." He pulled my mouth toward his.

I parted my lips, trying to remind myself that I was doing this for my friend. I paused at the coldness, trying not to recoil. I was trying to trick myself into doing this. I could not even pretend to be attracted to Olivier. Yes, Olivier was handsome externally. He looked like the classic stunningly gorgeous vampire, but his scarlet eyes told me everything I needed to know. I thought of him as a wormy apple—beautiful, lush, and bright red on the outside, but rancid, putrid, and rank within.

But I had to do this. I had to save my friend, so I thought of Jake. I kissed Olivier, and I felt disgusting—like the lowest whore, but I thought of Jake. I felt his cool lips rubbing against my own—and my body shuddered, but my thoughts were focused on Jake—on feeling happy and content and safe.

From below, my ears detected a combination of sounds: weeping, gasping, shuffling, and a much softer set of sounds. If I hadn't been listening for it, I would not have known what I was hearing, but Alyssa was punching the buttons on the phone. My heart gave a little start of hope.

Olivier heard the change in my heartbeat and took it to mean something more. He pulled me away from the window and pressed me down into the floor. He pulled himself on top of me, putting his knee in between my legs to force them apart. He pulled my hands to his shirt buttons. I started unbuttoning them, slowly but deliberately. I needed to keep his focus to protect Alyssa, and I could still hear the soft dialing going on below.

I reached the last button, and Olivier quickly shrugged out of his shirt. He yanked my sweater off, revealing my undershirt below. He didn't even bother to lift it off completely, but pushed it upwards and began roughly fondling me. I refocused my thoughts on Jake—funny, safe, and happy Jake—and on protecting Alyssa. Alyssa needs to be happy and safe. She needs to be with Luke. I need to be with my family, my friends, and Jake.

Downstairs, I heard the dialing stop. I heard Alyssa stand.

She was too loud. He was going to hear her. I pulled Olivier's face to mine. I kissed him furiously and angrily. He was definitely distracted now, but in the worst way for me. He pulled away from me and reached beneath my skirt. He found the edge of my tights and rolled it downward.

I could hear scraping sounds of Alyssa making her way down the ladder.

I broke out in a cold sweat. I could hear my heart's fevered pounding louder than any other sound.

He pulled my tights down to my knees before moving his hands up to the edge of my panties.

I turned away. I trembled. I could feel sweat seeping from my pores. I felt ready to vomit. I stared out the great window of the lighthouse into the night shadowed gorge. I stared at the rushing water below.

I felt the cloth slipping down my leg.

I heard Alyssa stepping onto the stones in the building's antechamber.

I stared into the shadows.

Then I saw a movement and another. I saw several movements. Dark figures flying in a direct line toward the tower. My family was coming.

I heard a zipper, and I reacted. I flung Olivier off of me. I righted myself and raced to the door. But again, Olivier was faster.

He heard and saw everything. He could see Alyssa fleeing out the front door below. He could see the distant shapes racing into view.

The steel door bent to my shape as he smashed me into it.

"You spiteful little bitch. You will pay for this twice over."

He bit me.

He sunk his teeth into my neck. I couldn't scream or move because in the next instant, he flung me at the great window. I didn't hear the glass crashing around me or the approach of my family. I could only focus on Alyssa.

Olivier had her.

He had Alyssa in his arms, and he was running to the edge of the cliff.

My family wasn't going to make it. I couldn't make it. I couldn't move. I could feel the cold fusing through my veins.

Olivier reached the final line of the cliff. He stood Alyssa on the very edge, teetering.

He turned and stared me in the eyes.

He pushed her, and then he dove.

* * *


	24. Chapter 24: Visions from Within

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. Not me._

AN: Thanks again for the great reviews. Also, I wanted to plug two fanfics that I've been enjoying recently: _The Antidote_ by janco and _Lost and Found_ by fiberkitty. Check 'em out. They update frequently.

* * *

_Chapter 24: Visions from Within_

* * *

I was blacking out. Sensation was taking over, and I felt the venom pushing through my veins. It felt numbing and cold. Odd. Wasn't it supposed to feel fiery? Wasn't it supposed to burn? The wolves said venom was poisonous. Was it poison to me, too? Even if I was half a vampire?

Then I heard the voices.

"Nessie, open your eyes."

And another voice, "Renesmee, wake up."

A deeper voice. "He bit her."

Someone grabbed my hand.

I let my tangled fears flow._ Alyssa. He took her down the cliff. Carlisle needs to help her. You need to stop Olivier. Bite on my neck. Venom feels cold. Bad. _

"We need to get the venom out."

"Edward, you've done this before. Jasper and I will go…"

I felt a cool, familiar hand carefully brushing my hair to the side. I heard an intake of air, and then felt a tickling pressure against my neck. I felt a slow and gradual pull. It felt like a long tentacle was being pulled out of my body. I could feel a tickling and pinching as the chill receded.

The strange weight in my limbs began to diminish. My eyes fluttered open, still unfocused.

I heard someone spitting.

"She's back!"

"I got most of it out. I think her body will be able to handle what I missed."

"Tasty treat, eh, Eddy?"

"I think even Jasper could have resisted that. The venom was coagulating."

I saw Emmett hovering over me. "Hear that, Nessie? You made your dad suck vamp jelly."

He was trying to make me laugh. He was being a good uncle, but there were more important matters. I grabbed his hand. _Emmett—where's Alyssa? Olivier pushed her over the side of the cliff, and then he dived after her. Where is she? Is she okay? Is she alive?_

Emmett didn't answer. He looked toward dad.

My dad kneeled besides me. "Ness, Alyssa fell. Carlisle is with her now. He's trying to help her, but she fell a long way. She sustained a large number of injuries, and her back—it is broken. Sweetie, I'm sorry."

I puked.

My dad and Emmett had their arms on me. Emmett held me upright while my dad pinned my hair behind my head.

When the gagging finally subsided, they laid me down again.

I grabbed Emmett's hand again. _Where's Jasper?_

"Jasper went off to track that—" He growled darkly.

_Jasper can't go alone. _

"Jasper can handle himself."

I heard muffled noises rising up from the gorge below, and then I saw Carlisle. He held something in his arms.

Alyssa.

Carlisle set her down by my side.

The left side of face had a long scratch down the side, but the blood had been wiped off. Her entire body was bruised and crooked, and she smelled wrong. Her scent was off—no longer magnolia and hawthorn. She smelled wilted and sour. She was dying.

My dad spoke, his voice strained. "Grab her hand, Nessie. She wants you to hold her hand."

_Alyssa, I'm so sorry. My fault._ I couldn't speak the words aloud, tears were beginning to leak out the corner of my eyes.

"She says it's not your fault. She says he would have gotten her anyway."

He paused, "She says to tell Luke that she loves him."

Tears were flowing effortlessly now.

I gripped her hand tightly. I could feel her fading. Her heart was thumping unevenly. The sour smell grew stronger. I think Carlisle must have given her an analgesic of some kind—but it wasn't enough for the pain.

"Can't we save her?" I croaked aloud.

Carlisle crouched beside me. "There is only one way to save her now, Nessie."

I shook my head sharply in response. "No. She wouldn't want that."

I took a deep breath. I had to help my friend—I couldn't save her—but I could help. I emptied my head of all other thoughts. I thought of Luke and Alyssa in the hospital. I thought of their smiles. I pushed the images into Alyssa's mind.

I made my memory overwhelm her pain. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing became more even.

And then I began creating my own images. Luke and Alyssa dressed in white in a forest clearing—sunlight dancing through the canopy above. There were creamy magnolia trees and hawthorn bushes with pink, prickly flowers. A fragrant breeze swept through the trees, ruffling their hair. Luke pulled Alyssa to him, huge, happy smiles plastered across their faces. He drew her in for a kiss.

I heard Alyssa's heart slow, and a twinge of a smile shaped her lips.

I took the memory even deeper.

Luke held Alyssa in his arms. They were perched on the bow of a long blue sail boat. Their legs dangled over the front of the hull. The tall sails billowed and groaned against the push of the westward zephyrs. The ship knifed easily through the waves, racing toward the fading brilliance of the setting sun. Luke pulled Alyssa's hand into his. He touched the very tips of their fingers together.

And then I heard her heart stop.

I gave a short sob, and then the world went black.

* * *

I woke up again to hear more voices.

I was lying in my bedroom. The voices were arguing outside my door.

"Edward, the last thing she wants right now is for you to be barging about in her brain."

"She's my daughter. I have every right to try and help her."

"But you won't help. She needs time and privacy. When all is finished, she'll want vengeance."

"She _needs_ to be protected."

"Are you listening to me, Edward?" I heard an extended length of silence.

"Rose, you know that wasn't what I meant. I will never claim to fully understand, but that doesn't mean I am going to leave her side."

I sat up. The voices cut off.

Rose and my dad were at my side in the next instant. My mother and Jake appeared behind them in the doorway.

Jake held my attention. He looked terrible. His hair was a mess, and his eyes looked tired.

"Hi," I murmured.

My mother and Rosalie wrapped their arms around me. My mom was taking small gasps of air, sobbing tearlessly.

"Where did you put… how did you…?" I kept trailing off.

My dad heard the conclusion of my thought.

"We staged an accidental death at her family's boat house. We knocked out a section of the bluff near where she was found. Any investigation will conclude that it was a freak accident. She was found early this morning."

I nodded, looking at the floor.

My mother gripped my hand.

"Do you want to talk about it, love?"

Jake and Rose both stiffened.

I shook my head. I really didn't want to talk. Living and breathing hurt. I had never been sick, and now I felt like I had been suffocated. My legs ached and my throat burned, and the memories—what had passed—my vision swam. I didn't want to think. I wanted to be alone. Or not. I looked at Jake. Jake needed me. Jake only had me here. He came here for me. Jake could stay.

My dad heard my thoughts. He looked sad, but he nodded. "Nessie wants time alone."

Rose nodded her head furiously to show her sanction of my every decision.

"Jake, Ness wants you to stay."

My mother looked slightly hurt. Rose sniffed quietly but industriously began shoving my dad out of the room.

I squeezed mom's hand reassuringly. She needed to stay with dad to protect his mind. My mind would not a happy place to trespass for some time.

Mom gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then took her leave of the room. Rose followed her out, but only after giving me a steady look. She closed the door behind her.

Jake sat gently on my bedside. We looked into each other's eyes. My face felt numb. I had no idea how I looked. I probably looked a little crazed.

Jake saw something in my eyes or in my expression which made him take action. He lifted my bedspread and slid underneath. He pulled me against him, fluttering kisses on my forehead, my nose, my ear, my jaw, and my eye lids. His hands began massaging circles into my back.

I felt myself relax.

I pulled his face toward mine, and I kissed him, simply but forcefully. I meant it to be some type of reassurance, even though I had no idea what I specifically meant to communicate.

"I love you," he breathed into my ear.

_I love you too._

I snuggled closer to him, finding solace in his warmth. I closed my eyes, and sleep began to take me once again.

* * *


	25. Chapter 25: Saving Grace

Disclaimer: Twilight's realm and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**AN: **Love me, because this is the longest chapter so far. It wasn't _supposed_ to be the longest chapter, but Estela kind of took over what was supposed to be a short first scene... Otherwise, this is very much a character driven chapter, and it's a bit sad, so let me know what you think. Not easy to write, but I think it was pretty necessary. Also, I have never been to the Notre Dame basilica, so I took a lot of liberties. If you have actually been there, please forgive them.

* * *

_**Chapter 25 - Saving Grace**_

* * *

I felt a pair of warm lips press against mine.

"Awaken o'fairest sleepin' beauty," a husky voice sang.

I squirmed and buried my face into my pillow.

"Ness, rise and shine. Come on, Ness, wake up. You need to drink something."

Jake was softly shaking my shoulder.

"Not thirsty," I groaned.

"Really? You're _sure_ you're not thirsty?"

I felt a straw being pushed against my lips. I smelled the sweet scent floating up the tube. My lips spread, and I began sleepily drawing in the liquid.

"Coffee wakes me up in the morning. I figured some o-positive might do the same for you."

That comment finally woke me up. I shot into a sitting position. I remembered what had happened, and more importantly, I realized what I was drinking. I withdrew my lips with a gasp and flung the cup out of my hands.

I saw Jasper leap from the chair in the corner of my room to catch the cup before it hit the floor.

"Aw, Ness," Jake grumbled. "You need to drink something. You hacked up whatever you had in you before, and you really haven't hunted since we went out three days ago."

"I'm not drinking _human_ blood," I snapped. My face unwillingly contorted. "She was my friend…"

Jasper spoke up, "Nessie, you've never had a problem with donated blood before. It is _donated_ after all. People donate it to help the sick—and you count as quite _sick _right now. There is no way you can hunt on your own until you get your strength back up. Besides, the only immoral thing you could do is waste it—which is what you were about to do. Here you are. Drink." I felt an intense wave of hunger course through me as Jasper pushed the cup into my hands.

I growled at him. I knew what he was up to—annoying, hunger-creating uncle—but I proceeded to drink. It had been a very _childish_ thing to throw the cup. Also, my stomach rumbled, and the aroma swirling up through the straw smelled unbelievably mouthwatering.

I turned to Jasper after I sucked down a gulp. "Were you able to track him?"

"No, he went underwater almost immediately. I checked the banks for any trace for several miles down, but I came up with nothing."

I nodded. I could see Jake's eyes boring into mine. He wanted me to talk. I'm sure they all did.

The tension ended when Carlisle entered in the room followed by none other than Estela. She scampered over to my side, planting a firm kiss on my _mouth_.

I blinked. Jake grinned and raised an eyebrow.

"_Pobrecita! _How are you feeling? Lost in the _mierda_, no?" She pinched my cheeks. "Don't worry, Nessie, _mi amor_, I am here to help Carlisle, and we're going to make sure you are as fit as a fiddle."

Carlisle decided to cut in. "Renesmee, I'd like to do a quick series of blood tests to figure out the effects of the venom. I'd like to make sense of why it coagulated."

I nodded but then cringed. I had never had my blood drawn before. With the whole having impenetrable skin thingy, drawing my blood had never seemed worth the trouble. "How are you going to get the blood out?"

Estela grinned widely. "Me! Venom-free vamp teeth." She traced a finger across her pearly whites.

"I thought about asking you to make a small incision on yourself, but I think it will be easier if Estela did it. She'll just make a small hole and then I'll be able to draw the blood," Carlisle explained.

I eyed Estela suspiciously.

She winked.

I groaned. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

"So, _amor_, where do you want me to _bite_ you?" Her tiger eyes wickedly bored into Jake's as she spoke. Jake pulled on his shirt collar and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked a little flushed.

I flicked Estela in the arm. She didn't flinch but just smiled all the wider.

Carlisle spoke quickly. "Nessie, just straighten out your arm. The crease right there will be fine. Jasper, do you need to leave?"

Jasper shook his head, "Nothing to fear. I saw what Edward spit up—no problems from my end."

Estela kneeled down at my bedside. She moved her mouth very slowly to the crease in my arm. "Tell me when," she purred to Carlisle.

Jake backed into the far corner of my room. I saw Jasper smirk in his direction.

"I'll have to insert the needle quickly before the wound begins to heal, so just say "now" the second before you bite," Carlisle said frowning slightly.

"You ready, Nessie?" she asked.

"Just keep it small."

She smiled, before returning her lips to the crease. "Now," she whispered, and then I felt the prick, as the front edge of her teeth cut through my flesh.

I jerked my arm back, growling furiously, but she had already hopped back, and Carlisle was in her place with the needle moving into my vein.

"Hold still, Nessie. Only one moment more." I saw the blood collection tube in his hand gradually filling with the red liquid. When it was mostly full, he withdrew the needle and pressed a small square of gauze over the cut.

"Now, here is something I've never been able to do for my granddaughter before."

He held up a box of multi-colored cartoon Band-Aids.

"Pick your favorite," he said grinning.

I couldn't help it. I giggled for the first time since… well, since Alyssa. I sobered just as quickly, though. I pressed my hand into his. _The SpongeBob one will be fine_. I smiled at him.

He carefully spread the Band-Aid over the cut, smiling softly. "Ness, I'm going to do a series of tests, and then we will discuss them, is that alright?"

_Thanks, grandpa. Love you._

"You're welcome, Nessie," he kissed the top of my head and left the room.

Estela took the opportunity to jump lightly onto my bed. She immediately curled up next to me, massaging her fingers into my scalp. It felt really nice. I hadn't realized how tense I was, but as I should have anticipated, Estela took an action that should have been sisterly and turned it into something very _un-sisterly_.

"Ez my touching your little woman eh'givin' you the green monster, Jacob?"

"Nope, just fine here," he replied weakly.

She winked at him. "Ez okay, Jakie, dear. You know I like big, strong men. If Nessie is very nice, you can join us."

I jerked away from her. I hissed.

She gave a long laugh.

I turned to glare at Jake. Sure enough, he was twiddling his thumbs. I glared at him, and I couldn't help but notice that Jasper was shifting about uncomfortably. Huh. The atmosphere in the room could not be easy for him to block out at the moment.

My glaring was interrupted when Alice strode into the room. She had a tall pile of clothes in her tiny arms. She set the top article on my bed, and the rest she chucked at Jake.

Jake caught them and wrinkled his nose. "Alice, I don't want to wear these. They smell vampy."

Alice put both hands on her hips and gave Jake an exasperated look. She pointed her chin in my direction before asking, "Have you noticed the color of said 'vampy' clothing?"

Jake looked down, examining the clothing. It was a black suit and silver dress shirt. Jake stared at them with a new recognition. "Oh…" his voice trailed off.

I looked at my own outfit. It was a long-sleeved black dress. I don't know why it took me so long—longer than Jake, but I finally realized the reason for the fuss. Funeral clothes. The funeral was today.

"Today, so soon?"

"You slept for a while, Nessie," Jasper answered.

I nodded cheerlessly. Estela patted my lap affectionately.

"It will be fine Ness. Jake, Bella, Edward, I will be there. The rest would go, too but we don't want to stand out…" Alice trailed off.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Jake reassured.

"No. No. I want to go. I have to. I promised." I needed to see my friends. I should mourn with them. I should say a proper goodbye to my friend, and most importantly, I had promised that I would pass on Alyssa's final words to Luke. _How _I was going to manage that obligation without compromising my family's secrecy was something I had yet to figure out.

"You have a few hours," Alice informed. "And you," she turned to Jake, "need to try on that suit immediately. I've never fitted you before, so the sooner the better."

"That's right," Estela purred. "In order to get the best fit, we'll have to make _adjustments_—for both of you," she tacked the final part on at the last second.

Alice rolled her eyes at Estela. "Now, all of you. Out! Now! Jake go change in the guest bedroom. Estela, go find your brother. He wanted to go hunting. Jasper, go give the five-minute Nessie update to Edward. That's right! All of you. Out of this room. 10, 9, 8, 6, 4, 2..." Alice's expression was such that everyone was instantly out the door.

As soon as the hallway was quiet, Alice marched over to my bed, scooped me up, and marched me down the hall to the bathroom.

She threw me into the cold shower with my clothes still on.

Leave it to my aunt to be gentle.

* * *

We drove to the _Basilique Notre-Dame _for the funeral. A long crowd dressed in black stood beneath the limited cover of the pointed Gothic arches outside. I didn't recognize any faces, so I continued on through the reinforced doors. Jake and my family followed me inside.

I had never been inside a church before, let alone a basilica, but I decided that there seemed to be something very appropriate about this place. The monotone and sharp angles of the square towers and pointed arches outside contrasted sharply with brilliance within. Intricate wooden carvings and golden statues filled the foyer and sides of the basilica. Stained-glass windows lined the walls. The basilica seemed very _Alyssa_ to me: prickly and bold on the outside but soft and warm within.

Jake gripped my free hand reassuringly as we walked down the aisle. In my other hand, I held the bouquet I had brought. Finding the flowers I wanted had not been the easiest thing—there were no magnolia blossoms to be found in wintertime Canada, but I had manage to scrounge some of the thick leaves from a well-stocked florist. The rest of the bouquet consisted of hawthorn flowers and holly berries.

I heard my father whisper in my mother's ear as we sat in a wooden pew near the back. He was pointing to the Casavant Frères pipe organ on the third tier balcony. "Four keyboards, 97 stops, about 7000 individual pipes and a pedal board," he listed, his eyes bright.

She answered him in her head, and he smiled back in response.

My eyes began sweeping the enormous chamber for my friends. I saw Abby in the fourth row on the right. Brandon and a person who looked to be her mother were sitting by her side. Her face was deathly pale. I could see the tension in her back.

Then my eyes found May Li. She was sitting alone to the far side, but she was staring at the very front row. Her gaze was locked on Quinn. Quinn had his arms locked around a short-haired blond. I felt a pang in my heart. I felt the urge to run and rip Quinn's throat out, but then again, his sister had just died. His sister had died because of me. His being a jackass to May Li hadn't changed that, but nevertheless my friend was in pain, and she needed me. I stood up, and Jake rose to follow me, but Alice stepped in front of him.

"Stay," Alice commanded. "This will be better if I go."

Jake narrowed his eyes at her but sat down.

I gave him a rueful smile and made my way to May Li. Alice followed.

I sat down next to May. She didn't even seem to notice me until I pulled her in for a hug, and then she hugged me back fiercely, desperately pulling me closer. She sobbed hysterically into my shoulder.

Minutes passed before she calmed. "Oh, Nessa," she blubbered, when she finally pulled away. "I'm so glad you're here."

"May Li, why are you sitting alone? Why didn't you come sit with me or Abby?"

Her mouth twisted, and she looked down at the floor. "Because I'm a horrible friend," she gasped and began sobbing again.

"No, you're not." If anyone was the horrible one, it was I.

"Yes, I am. I didn't mean to do it. I didn't, but I accidentally told Quinn about Luke—I was just so upset when I found out. I knew Alyssa loved Luke, and that he loved her. It was in-your-face obvious. I hadn't uttered a peep before then, it was Alyssa's business, but I was out of my mind at that point, and I told Quinn that I thought Luke deserved to sit up in the front today.

"I saw Quinn's face, and I realized what an idiot I was, and that I shouldn't have said anything, but it was already too late. Quinn was already a mess, but he flew into a rage. He just started screaming bloody murder at me. I thought he was going to hit me, but he punched the wall. Then, he called Luke and started screaming at him. Luke didn't even know. No one had told him yet. I could hear him yelling back at Quinn. And…" she took a deep breath. "Quinn yelled at me to leave. He told me he never wanted to see my face again. I tried to apologize but…" she returned her gaze to the front of the room and burst into tears again.

I pulled her into another embrace. "May Li, Alyssa told me her brother was a jerk. She was worried about you," I breathed out the words through my tears. "Did you call Luke?" I choked out.

She looked at me with watery eyes. "I tried, but he wouldn't pick up."

I glanced at Alice. She whispered under her breath. "He's okay for now." She pointed her gaze at the balcony. I saw a lone figure slumped over the railing near the back. Luke. His head was bent down and his hair was pulled forward so that it hid most of his face, but I could still make out his expression. Anguish. Disbelief. Horror. Grief.

Alice was working her magic on May Li while I focused on Luke.

"Are those _Ter_ slippers from his fall collection?" she gently asked May Li.

May nodded, starring at Alice with enormous eyes. It was like the other part of May Li's brain suddenly kicked in. She was examining Alice's dress with speculative eyes. "Your family really likes Seb Lam, don't they?" she asked.

Alice clapped her hands softy. (We were still in a church after all.) "He's a good friend of mine."

May Li's expression was immediately wiped free of all of its previous anguish. She stared dazedly at my aunt. I'm not sure anything else would have distracted May, but Alice's genuine interest and dazzling smile held May's entire focus as they discussed the upcoming season.

Around us, I could see the final guests filtering in. The organist was seating himself at the great instrument above.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luke retreat from the balcony and head to the back. He was leaving. Alice gave me a pointed look. I needed to go. She would watch over May Li for me.

I stood up and smoothly made my way down the side aisle.

I saw Jake and my parents watching me. They all looked ready to jump from their seats.

_Dad, please stay for now. I'm going to try to fulfill my promise._

I continued to the back of the basilica until I found the staircase leading upward. I ran up it, until I reached the door to the second tier. I pulled it open, finding myself in a long stone corridor. I moved forward, moving toward the dewy scent I knew to be Luke's. I stuck my head around an open door frame.

I saw him. He was in a small stone room. It was mostly bare. The only furniture was a small wooden bench and a table holding rows of red candles. The only light in the room came from the enormous stained glass window.

Luke was standing in front of the candles. He dropped a few coins in a small wooden box on the side and picked up a long thin candle that had been lying in a groove on the table. He pushed the candle's wick into one of the already lit candles and used it to light a single candle in the very center. Then he sat on the bench with his eyes closed.

Suddenly he screamed.

It was an animal-like sound. It ripped my heart open and made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I back away from the doorway, ready to flee at any moment, but then the noise cut off and Luke's head was between his knees. His hands were pulling at his hair, and his body was convulsing with silent weeping.

The room darkened as the light from the window abruptly faded. Alice had said that a storm would be coming in, and as usual, she was right. I could hear the wind picking up outside.

Something about the situation possessed me. My conscious mind seemed to float upwards while my body flitted across the room. My body wrapped her arms around Luke from behind. From above, I could see the great white wave that was rushing through his eyes, washing the red candles, the dark window, and the grief away from his vision. The white began to fade.

Alyssa stood in the front of the room. She was wearing a simple white dress. She was glowing. She looked beautiful.

She leaned in front of Luke, carefully picking up his hands, and with the same fierce expression that I had seen in the lighthouse she spoke, "I love you, Luke."

Luke's mouth moved, but no words escaped. He was trying to say something, but Alyssa put her finger over his lips. "Hush," she softly crooned. "You will move on, Luke. You will live your life and be happy. You will do it for me."

Luke nodded weakly, tears slipping down his face.

She sat down next to him, pulling him softly to her. "Shhhh. Just sleep now. Know that I love you. Shhh. Just sleep."

Luke's body relaxed, and he leaned into her, murmuring soft _I-love-yous_ over and over again. They gradually grew softer and more mumbled, and Luke finally drifted into a peaceful dream.

When my body and mind reconnected, I was surprised to see that Luke was lying in my lap, and that it was dark in the room except for the candle light. My parents and Jake were standing outside.

My father walked quietly to my side. "I'm not sure there are words, but that was really perfect sweetie." He kissed my hair.

I gave him an embarrassed look. I had no idea how to handle this.

"Here, I got him." Dad lifted Luke easily into his arms.

"Alice accompanied May Li to the burial, dear. Do you still want to go?" my mother asked softly.

I shook my head. "We need to get him home." I wrinkled my brow. I didn't know where Luke lived.

My father looked irritated. "He was staying with the… _brother_ until yesterday. He hasn't slept since then. His immediate family is in Ottawa. He's on a tight budget. He hasn't been sure about where he should go."

"He should be with his family," my mother concluded. "We'll put him in a hotel tonight and leave a train ticket and some cab money for him for tomorrow morning."

I nodded, and we all got up to leave.

* * *

My dad and I furtively followed Luke to the train station the next morning. Luke had the strangest expression on his face. It was still sad and strained, but there was a certain something to it…

"Peace, Ness," my dad answered my thought. "He's peaceful now. He's determined to move forward—for her. You did the right thing, my little girl." He ruffled my hair.

I smiled softly at him. It did feel good to fulfill my promise to Alyssa, but it was only a small piece of penance.

I still had Olivier to deal with.

"Nessie," my dad's face snapped to stare at mine.

I scowled and turned away from him. _Get out of my head._

"Nessie, I know you don't want to talk about it, and realize that I haven't talked to anyone about it either. I was waiting for you to be ready, but I heard _his_ thoughts as we were running to the lighthouse," my father growled deep and low. "Don't even think about going after him, sweetie. Your family will take care of him. You are safe now."

"I can't go back to school, can I?"

He gave a long sigh. "I don't know. You don't have to think about it now, anyway. You're officially on winter break for the next three weeks. Christmas is in two days. Do you want anything in particular?"

He was trying to change the subject, and I was going to let him. I started humming Christmas carols in my head. I would have to save my thinking for later.

My dad gave me a frown before starting the car. We pulled onto the freeway and headed home.

* * *


	26. Chapter 26: Needs and Nonsense

Author's Notes and Thoughts:

Sorry about the big delay. I started a new job and had a minor case of writer's block, but then Turkey Day hit and I used holiday time to get back on the writing wagon.

As far as stories that I've been reading--you all should go over to twilighted. net if you haven't already, and read the stories by Marve and Wish Girl. Marve's story Ladders is probably the funniest thing I've read in the history of Fanfiction--lots of lemons, warning.

Also, I saw Twilight, the movie, with a group of friends. I can't say I was really depressed or impressed either way. I read reviews ahead of time--it has something really low like 40% on Rotten Tomatoes--so I knew not to get my hopes up. I liked the second half of the movie a whole lot better than the first half--which is kind of the opposite of how I felt about the book. I'm hoping the next movie will be better--the studio acquired the rights to the film before Twilight really became popular and hopefully they'll give the sequels much better special effects budgets now that the studio understands the phenomenon that is Twilight.

Finally I'm interested in doing a one-shot for jandco and wtvoc's "A Very Cullen Christmas" Collaboration Contest. I have some good ideas (I think.), and I'd like someone to work with me on a funny piece--if there be lemons--that's fine, too. PM me if you're interested. Otherwise, to learn more about the contest, check out jandco & withthevampsofcourse's author pages for all the dirty details.

Disclaimer: Twilight is Steph Meyer's.

* * *

_Chapter 26 - Needs and Nonsense_

* * *

"Real productive way to deal with your emotions, Ness."

Jake was standing a few feet away from me. He had been standing there for several minutes now. I had been ignoring him.

I was positioned on a large rock on the hill directly above the orchard. The rock formed a sort of natural bench, smooth and comfortable enough to sit on. I was wearing sweatpants and a thick hoodie, with the hood pulled down over my brow. My legs were folded so that they were in a "meditation position," but my fingers were not folded. Instead, both palms were face up, flipping the bird.

"Ness, giving the double barreled salute to an unseen vampire with binocular eyes is not going to solve anything."

I scowled, still not looking at him. "It makes me feel better."

"Ness, if creepo actually sees you doing this—it's just going to show him that he's gotten to you."

I almost snapped a nasty _DUH_ at him, but I stopped myself. My sullen pissy-ness had nothing to with him. If anything, Jake had been the only one I could tolerate over the past few days. The rest of my family hovered, staring at me with big worried eyes that seemed to say "At any second, she's going to blow!" Between dad and Jasper overanalyzing my every thought and emotion, and Rosalie threatening venom and gutting when they wouldn't stop—I just really needed time alone, and sitting on the rock with my middle fingers in vertical alignment seemed to placate me quite perfectly.

That's why I'd come out here, still close enough to be perfectly safe and easily monitored—kinda like an institutionalized lunatic allowed in the courtyard for "recess"—but I was still sufficiently distant from the family to block out the annoying and crazed babying.

Jake really didn't fit in the fanatical family category, though, and he looked pretty ridiculously sweet standing there so patiently, so I dropped my hands from my knees and motioned to Jake.

He was by my side in the next instant, pulling me into his lap, and burying his head into my hair. "Oh, Ness…" he sighed.

I gasped into his neck. The effect Jake had on me was instantaneous. A surge of heat flashed. The cold, blank feeling left my body, and crazed hormonal teenage girl reappeared in full force. The effect was strangely disorienting. Confusing. There was this strange sense of desperation in it. Part of my mind wondered if it was the imprint—if it had a mate-like-bunnies component programmed in there, or if the pull was the sense of impending doom that lurked in the back of my thoughts—the same pull that drove young couples rush to the altar before the young officer shipped out to battle the following morning. And then, I wondered if it might just be Jacob. Jake who was so warm and sweet and strong and knew me better than I knew myself.

Jake sensed my body relaxing, and he lifted his head from my hair, brushing aside a long strand that had snagged on his eyelashes. He cocked his head to the side, gently smiling at me.

I reach up and curled both sets of fingers under the back hook of his jaw and gently trailed them forward.

Jake's breath hitched. He was staring into my eyes carefully, very calculating. "What are you doing, Ness?"

"Do you have to ask?" I said, smirking.

Then, before he could get another peep out, I kissed him.

I pushed him hard so that his back smacked onto the cold stone, and I attacked him. My lips frantically moved against his while my hands pinned his above his head and my hips pressed into his.

Clearly, I had caught Jake completely off guard. He didn't really respond or not respond. He let himself be pinned, and his lips molded against mine, but he was neither fighting back nor retreating from me.

So I kissed him harder, and I clasped his hands into mine.

_What's your problem? I want you._

His lips tried to pull away from mine, then, but I pushed back. This exchange seemed to garner a reaction from him, and I found that we were kissing roughly.

Score one for Nessie. Angry kissing.

Jake's hands broke from mine, and I let them clutch onto my waist. I felt them begin to slide upward—under my shirt. I softened immediately, willing him to take control. His hands continued to move upward, hot fingers rhythmically inching up my torso. I felt him gently begin to roll us over.

The bastard tricked me. As soon as I relaxed my grasp, he shoved me off of him and grabbed the tops of both of my arms.

"Ness, what are you doing?" he growled.

I stared at him, irate. Hadn't I already answered this question? What part of _I want you_ did he not compute? Did I need to buy him a book to explain? Show him some of Uncle Emmie's video stash for a visual demonstration?

I growled back at him and made a swipe at the lower part of his person. Hard-on at full salute. His body _did_ want me. I pursed my lips and raised a mocking eyebrow at him.

Clearly, this wasn't a situation that warranted a verbal response.

Jake gave me a frustrated sigh.

Well, it was his own damn fault that he was frustrated.

"Ness, we haven't talked about anything."

"I don't need to talk. I need you to shut up and assist me in getting us back to where we were before."

Another frustrated sigh from Jake.

"Jake, I need this. I need to forget. Make me forget," I pleaded.

Jake groaned. I could tell he hated the use of the word _need_. Stupid imprint boy. "Ness, you have to talk to me, and yes, you do _need_ to talk to me. That, that… _Olivier_," he spat, "hurt you—he hurt you and he took your friend from you."

I starred at him blankly, jaw clenched.

"Ness, I love you, and we can't just pretend like nothing happened."

I tried to jerk away. "Well, since nothing is _happening_, Jake. Let. Me. Go."

"No," he replied simply.

"Great, Jake, you're going to force me, now, too, eh? Fantastic. You're no better than Olivier."

He dropped his hands from my arms and stared at me horrified.

I jerked away, and fled down the hill and through the orchard toward the carriage house.

Jake didn't move from the rock. He merely sat there, looking broken.

My chest panged, but I didn't stop. I threw open the door and marched up the steps to my room. I threw myself onto my bed and sobbed into my pillow.

I really, truly, madly hated the world.

* * *


	27. Chapter 27: Zafrina

Author's Note: You guys are great! Thanks for the awesome reviews.

* * *

_Chapter 27 - Zafrina_

* * *

A day had passed since the Couldn't-Help-Myself-Jumped-Jake-on-the-Rock incident, as I mentally referred to it. I had refused to leave my room, and my family had grown increasingly creative in their attempts to snap me out of it. None of said attempts had done the trick.

Stubborn was my other middle name, and I was _sad_.

I was surprised, then, to see Zafrina enter my bedroom. Of the many guests and family members to come "deal" with me, Zafrina was not one of the normal emissaries.

I gave her an inquiring sort of look, and she nodded, already understanding my question, "I told your mother I would talk to you, my Nessie, and after some talk, she came to agree with me."

I snorted a laugh in spite of myself. Zafrina seemed to scare the wits out of my otherwise calm and collected mother. A few dozen Volturi come to rip her family to shreds—no big deal. Mom took that in stride, but a few women in leopard skins—run for the hills! It didn't seem to matter that she was protected from Zafrina's images with her shield.

Zafrina sat down on my bed companionably, curiously pressing against the mattress with her fingers, as if to figure out the material. It seemed that once she judged it stable enough, she relaxed, and reached for my hand.

"I am glad to see your smile." Images flashed through my head—my blanched expression over the past week contrasted with the smirk on my face now.

"My Nessie, you have had some time to grieve. Have you gathered your thoughts?"

I didn't even breathe as I spat out my answer. "I want to butcher Olivier."

I showed her my version of Olivier on a pike. Zafrina didn't seem remotely affected by the picture. Once again she nodded thoughtfully, "I understand this."

"Do you? You are a vampire, Zafrina. You hunt humans."

"I am a vampire, Nessie. We hunt humans. It is our nature, but even among vampires we have honor. A vampire respects the territories of other covens. Vampires keep the secret. Vampires seek out mates—but we do not force them.

"This male has shown you great disrespect, Nessie. He has trespassed upon your coven's territory. He has used your fidelity to our secret as a means to manipulate you. He attacked you because you would not submit to him.

"If you did not crave vengeance, you would not be the young woman I have come to know."

"My family doesn't want me near him. They are trying to _protect_ me."

Zafrina looked at me evenly. "It was wrong of you to seek out the male alone, but I think you have the right to face him with the help of others. You are a woman, now."

I smiled weakly at her. "My family treats me like a child."

Zafrina pursed her lips thoughtfully. "You were never much of a child, young one. Even as an infant, you possessed the knowledge of many years. I think your family misjudges you at their own peril."

I could have kissed Zafrina. I showed her this.

Her resulting laughter seemed to ricochet off the walls of the room. "I think not, young one. Your wolf-man, Jacob, he would be very jealous—and maybe Estela as well. She likes to make jokes about this, especially to my sisters and me."

I laughed with her this time.

"Zafrina, would you teach me how to fight?"

"You do not know the ways?"

"Eh, I understand the basics. I haven't had any real training, but more than that, I was hoping you could show me how to use my gift."

Zafrina considered my request, surveying my face before speaking again. "I will do this, my Nessie, but you must do something for me in return."

"Sure, anything."

"You will not seek out this male without others to help you."

I frowned at her.

She frowned back, giving me an uncompromising stare. Vampires don't blink. Half-vampires do.

"Fine," I huffed. "You're right. I promise."

"Good."

* * *

The family was not overly pleased with the deal brokered between Zafrina and myself. The collected family members and guests immediately erupted into an argument over my safety and how learning to fight "would just encourage me," but then Emmett made the mistake of saying something along the lines that the "men would keep the little lady-folk safe." Jasper and dad made the additional mistake of nodding their heads in agreement with him.

Rosalie yelled for two hours.

Mom gave dad the death stare. Mom never looked at dad with anything other than happy-ever-after adoration, so it was pretty disconcerting.

The emotions emanating from Alice were such that Jasper fled the room.

Carlisle, Jake, and Nahuel sat on the sofas in the corner of the grand room. They had tried to excuse themselves several times during Rose's tirade—but collective the death glare from the women in the room kept them locked at attention.

It all worked out very well for me.

I was to get lessons in "defense," and all present were sworn to see me through them.

My first few lessons were with Zafrina. We practiced ways for me to use my talent with only minimal contact. The instant my hand made contact I was to reshape the opponent's perspective so that the opponent believed my body was in a different attack position than it actually was. None of the moves would actually disable any of my opponents, but the tactic could successfully disorient them, and Zafrina thought that might give me enough of an advantage to make up for my comparative lack of strength.

Otherwise, I practiced mostly with Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, and Emmett. Jasper showed me how to attack using my agility. Sparing with Alice was entertaining because she frustrated so quickly. She even shredded her favorite Prada jacket after a particularly grueling round. She wasn't used to fighting a target whose future moves she couldn't see. She was a faster little sucker though.

I tried a single practice session with Estela.

Never again.

After she pinned me to the ground, she cheerfully began whispering an endless stream of unmentionables into my ear. Since all present observers were vampires, they heard every last word of it. This resulted in my mother flinging a rather surprised Estela off of me.

That was funny.

I spent a few rounds sparing with Nahuel. Nahuel was fast, strong, and a good teacher, but Jake's sad look was such that I didn't have the spirit to continue. Jake gave me deep, dark, heartbroken puppy dog eyes, and even if I still refused to talk to him and was as mad as anything, those eyes had their effect, and I made some excuse to Nahuel about needing to practice more with Zafrina.

* * *

I was a bit peeved when I realized that the New Year's Eve was upon us. This meant that Jake would be leaving within a week, and even though I hadn't exactly started speaking to him again, I did not like the idea of him leaving.

Moreover, my parents were also strung up on the whole question of whether or not I was returning to school. This was a topic of additional emotional turmoil. I hadn't really talked to any of my friends since the funeral. We mostly exchanged terse email messages in which gallons of sadness filled the space between falsely cheerful lines.

I had taken to hogging the piano in the grand room. It was somewhat apparent that my family preferred this particular outlet for my emotions over closed doors or rounds of tearful screaming. Dad definitely preferred it. Granted, the piano pieces that I played weren't exactly Babes in Toyland type of material.

The piano helped though. I let the crazy emotion and energy that was consuming me ring out through my fingers and synergize with the bass and treble of the grandiose instrument. My thoughts left me, and I could say through music what I couldn't say in words.

I was alternating between Beethoven and vintage U2 when the doorbell rang.

Another delivery.

This didn't surprise me. Emmett had recently been on an eBay extravaganza collecting 1940's baseball cards, and there was no stopping him. Rosalie had even threatened to shred the entire collection, but Emmett had threatened to retaliate in turn by painting her M3 mud brown. Apparently, they were at what my mother termed "an impasse."

Emmett raced to the door, apologizing profusely to Esme as he slid in front of her to get the door in the foyer. The door sprung open, and I heard a sharp intake of breath as the delivery man realized that the hulking shape looming in front of him appeared to be human.

"Got a package, man?" Emmett asked very slowly. I know Emmett didn't intend it to, but the slower tone inadvertently made him sound more menacing rather than less.

I heard something like a squeak, and then the scratching of a pen against paper.

"You can go back to your truck now." Emmett instructed the driver in the same controlled tone.

I heard the door swing shut with a thud.

Emmett was standing behind me in the next instant.

"Nessie you got a delivery." He sounded somewhat forlorn. I think I was starting to agree with Rosalie that his obsession with those cards was reaching an unhealthy level.

I didn't turn around. "Set it on the coffee table, Em."

"Aw, Ness, you're going to hurt little Jake's feelings."

I smelled them before I saw them.

I grabbed the pot from Emmett and slammed it against the wall. The porcelain from the pot shattered and soil and a few satin white petals coated the floor of the room.

Emmett's mouth hung open. "Well, I guess you're still mad at Jake."

I ignored him. I kneeled down then and picked up a small white tag at the base of the wall.

I broke the seal and read it silently.

"Dearest Renesmee. I have missed you so very much. Love and more, Olivier."

I strode out of room, passing the faces of my family and friends that had come to discover the source of the clamor.

I heard Emmett mutter to Jacob. "Apparently she really doesn't like orchids."

I was marching into the woods, and by the sound of the footsteps behind me, I knew that Jake was following.

* * *


	28. Chapter 28: Trees and Cabins

Disclaimer: Twilight ain't mine folks.

Warning: Serious limade below.

_Author's Note:_  
So, I'm updating midweek because I was inspired. I was grumpy yesterday morning while taking the subway to work, and I had just sat down when I looked up and saw him. Dark skin, sharp cheekbones, and black eyes. He looked just like how I imagine Jacob to look. Then, he noticed me gawking at him. I don't make a point of checking out boys—I have a boyfriend and he's hot, but of course I just couldn't looking at dark eyed subway dude. He gave me this intent look back as he got off the train, and I spent the next several minutes slapping my own hand forf returning it. So needless to say, thank hot subway dude for this bit of inspiration.

Oh, and recommended story this time round is _Past and Present_ by GiveUsAKiss413. It made it onto my Favs page.

Final note, I recommend listening to Dreaming of You by the Coral while reading along (use YouTube). I think it fits the mood all the way through...

* * *

Chapter 28: Trees and Cabins

* * *

"_Apparently she really doesn't like orchids."_

_I was marching into the woods, and by the sound of the footsteps behind me, I knew that Jake was following._

I had been tearing through the underbrush for who knows how long, when I just exploded.

I marched up to a rather large pine, and I punched it.

My fist punched through, causing splinters of wood to fan out across the forest floor and a spray of sawdust to coat the rocks behind the tree. My fist came out on the other side. I gave the trunk another knock, and the pine crashed onto the forest floor. The tree had to have been at least fifty feet tall.

I released a deep breath.

Destroying things was outlandishly satisfying.

I felt Jake's presence behind me. His hands carefully gripped my hips and pulled me back against him.

I let myself be hugged, but I didn't really turn to face Jacob. I was calculating the pressure point on a nearby maple to see if I could snap it cleanly in two with a single stroke.

"Ness," Jake whispered, trying to get my attention.

I ignored him.

I executed a side kick on the maple. It snapped neatly in two.

It appeared that my calculations were correct. Dad would be so proud.

Unfortunately, my hair was becoming something of a nest. Twigs, leaves, and dust coated my curly bronze strands. I sat down and began combing through the tangled mess.

I felt Jacob's hands push into my hair from behind. His fingers massaged my scalp and tenderly separated the curls.

Very, very nice. The boy had gifted fingers. My head fell back, and I took in a long, slow breath. The muscles in my body started to relax.

My brain suddenly recalled that I did not want to relax. I was still angry. I pushed off the ground and sprang away from the too-talented fingers.

I began picking up rocks, smashing them in my palm until they crumbled and sifted away like sand.

"Ness," Jacob called.

_If you didn't happen to notice, I'm ignoring you._

"Ness!" Jacob snapped. He grabbed my jaw and roughly jerked my face in his direction.

I yanked my face away and snapped a bite at his hand.

Instead of jerking his hand away from the bite, Jake pushed his hand toward my teeth, so that I ended biting much harder than I ever intended. I withdrew my teeth immediately, horrified at myself.

Overcoming my shock, I started to murmur an apology, but then Jacob bit my lower lip.

So I licked his upper lip.

He bit my tongue.

I got it back. I licked his teeth.

He rubbed his thumb over my breast.

I whined and pressed my hips into his.

He groaned huskily. He picked me up. He pressed me into a tree.

I wrapped my legs around his torso and kissed him more enthusiastically.

At some point, I realized that Jake was speaking.

"Out in the open—bad—bad idea," he gasped in between my attacks on his mouth.

_Well, we can't go back to the house. _

He kissed up my neck. He nibbled on my ear. "There has to be somewhere…"

_Got it. Ranger's cabin. Two k northeast._

We ran.

The door to the little grey building was unlocked. My hand reached the door knob first, and I flung the door open to reveal a small cot, a radio, and a chest of drawers. Before I could take a step inside, Jake had lifted me again and dropped me on top of the chest. He kicked the door shut behind him.

He tried to pull me towards him, but I pushed him away.

I was looking at him. He looked hot as hell. "Alice dressed you."

"She burnt all of my clothes."

He was staring unhappily at my hand pushing against his chest, while his hands were squeezing my thighs. If I was a normal human, that would have hurt—but it didn't.

"I like it," I said looking at his coat, and I did. I liked it very much.

One word: buttons.

Lots and lots of shiny silver buttons. I started at the top. There was a long neck strap that was snapped across the front—I yanked it. Jake's breath hitched.

I kneeled on the chest and started working my way down the coat. Pop.

Pop.

Pop. I kept up a steady rhythm.

"Fucking, hell, Ness, just finish already," Jake growled.

Jake_ cursed_. I knew that he cursed, but he never did it around me. I gave myself a mental pat on the back—Jake was not in control.

"Never hurry a lady," I cooed, delightedly popping another button.

Now he was cursing under his breath. Apparently, he was frustrated. His hand chopped downward along the seam, popping open the rest of the buttons. He chucked his coat off onto the cot, and he clamped his mouth onto mine.

He pushed me down onto my back. He jerked my hips forward so that they were flush with the front of the chest. My head dangled off the back.

My shirt was riding up slightly. Jake's teeth caught the bottom hem of my shirt and wrenched it upward.

He gave a quick peck to my belly button and smiled at me.

I laughed.

He swirled his tongue in a circle around it before slowly trailing a path downward.

I moaned.

Then his mouth made a sudden u-turn and started heading back up again.

I pouted, a bit miffed.

And then, he pushed up on the sides of my shirt. I lifted my arms and let him pull the fabric the rest of the way off. I looked down, trying to remember what bra I had thrown on this morning, hoping that it was pretty.

Oh, yeah. That's right. I wasn't wearing one.

I tended to forget such proprieties when I got grumpy in the morning.

Jakes croaked, moving his lips as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't. His eyes were flicking wildly between my tits and my gaze. When he looked into my eyes, he seemed to ask why the hell aren't you wearing a bra? When he looked at my boobs, he looked like was asking to be good friends.

Like he really needed to ask. I grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled him toward me.

I yanked a bit forcefully, and the angle was a little off. Jake lost his balance a bit, and he fell forward, so that his face landed between the twin sisters.

Huh. He looked happy there.

I waited. He was just lying there, sort of nuzzling them and mumbling little compliments, like he was lost in Jake Happy Land or something. As much as I appreciated the fact that he enjoyed looking at my body, now was not the time. I hopped up onto my elbows, pushed him back, and hopped down.

Jake looked liked he'd been slapped silly.

I was wearing black pants. I took them off.

Apparently, I'd also forgotten to wear underwear.

I was naked.

Things happened very quickly then. Jacob grabbed me, his hands wildly moving up and down my body. He pushed me back against the wall, lifting me up and sucking along my jaw, while I could feel him the long length of him in his jeans, grinding into me. If he kept that up, I'd bet he'd would be able to feel my wetness soon, even through his jeans.

"Ness, what do you want?" He breathed, while lapping at and pulling on my nipple.

I whimpered. I was no longer in control of things.

_Touch me._

"Where do you want me to touch you?" He picked me up again and set me back on top of the wooden chest.

I showed him an image of his hand, moving toward the spot between my legs.

"Oh," he breathed. His hand started to move slowly up my leg, but then he stopped.

"Ness, what if I don't want to touch you?"

I blinked. I hoped he realized that was not an option at this point.

"Ness, what if what I want to taste you?" he slowly drew his tongue around the outline of my bottom lip.

I whimpered. We could both smell how wet I was. The cabin was probably six square meters, and the air was saturated with the fragrance of sweat, pheromones, and eau de Nessie.

I nodded at him through heavily lidded eyes.

I was trembling and clutching his hair, and his mouth was meandering down my body. Jake kissed entire circles around my breasts, before taking a hard nipple into his mouth. That caused me to writhe against him, but he pulled away from me.

He pushed me flat against the top of the wooden chest, so that he could outline the muscles in my abdomen, before moving even further downward.

He sucked on the inner sides of my thighs. He bit me there.

My legs clenched together.

"Ness, spread your legs."

That made them clench together even harder. I wanted him to say it again.

But Jake spread them for me and dove in.

I yipped. He didn't stop.

My hips bucked. I grabbed his hair.

I felt his tongue moving up and down. My body jerked forward on its own accord. His hands grabbed my ass. I could hear him swallowing as well as licking. I growled his name.

We both moaned in pleasure.

I frantically gripped the edge of the chest. Some of the wooden panel splintered.

The heat was building. My breathing was escalating.

Then, Jake spoke.

"Ness, when this is done, we are going to talk."

_You have got to be fucking kidding me._

I jerked upwards into a sitting position. I was pissed. I was glaring at him, but he wasn't looking at me, his face was still buried between my legs.

His licked the central spot.

My body shook, and my eyes rolled back in my head.

He kept licking and sucking.

"Say yes, Ness." When he spoke the words, his lips rhythmically pressed them into my core.

Ungh.

I hate him.

Scratch that.

I love him.

And he's a manipulative, conniving bastard. Fuck me.

"Yes, Jake."

I swear to God I felt him smile against me.

His mouth attacked me again, and I grabbed his hair, and his tongue was rhythmically moving in and out of me, and I was gasping his name. Spasms ran up and down my body. I edged my hips closer to him. Jake could feel how close I was, so he latched on to the nub and sucked. Jacob sucked long and hard and the pressure seemed to punch me in the stomach before it shot upwards into my brain.

I came, singing out a long line of curses.

I realized I was sitting up again, and Jake scooped me into his arms and laid us both down on the cot, covering us both with his coat. I felt warm and happy and loved and little shooting stars seemed to be dancing across my vision.

After a period, Jake whispered, "Ness…"

_Yes…f_

"I hope you enjoyed that."

_Fishing for praise are we?_

"I like licking you."

_Good, because I'll be expecting an encore._

He gave a husky laugh. "Ness," he whispered again.

_Yes…_

"Will you tell me, now?"

I growled at him. He was ruining the moment.

"You said you would."

_You may recall that the promise was made under coercion._

"You liked the coercion."

I pouted.

He sat up and pulled me towards him. "I love you, Ness, but you've been shutting me out. How can I love you fully, if you won't let me in?"

I closed my eyes. I held out my hand.

He grabbed it.

In my own way, I told him the whole story.

* * *

* * *

Reviews = Love, folks.

If you didn't notice, I have a new story up: _The Nymph and the Waterfall_--it's an All Human comedy about Bella having an unnatural fetish for a waterfall. Be afraid. Be very afraid. I posted yesterday and so far I seemed to have gotten 20 alerts and like, 2 reviews. Apparently, girls getting off on waterfalls is intriguing enough to want to read, but makes people nervous to review. So check it out.


	29. Chapter 29: So Says the Soothsayer

_Disclaimer:_

Twilight is the copyrighted property of Stephanie Meyer. No es mio.

_Author's Note:_

Sorry about the week+ length of time between this update and the last. This is sort of a transition chapter. The next chapter is gonna be _awesome_. I've been working on getting the finale plotted out. What I'm planning on doing is writing out the four or five final chapters and then posting them a few days apart each. It's a'comin.

Also, I've been writing The Nymph and the Waterfall which is lightyears different from this one. It's sort of National Lampoons meets Twilight or something similar. It's very disorienting to hop between the two. But seriously, have no fears, Waxing Crescent is on the forward march. This chapter should indicate that pretty clearly...

What I've been reading lately: _Coming to Terms_ by GinnyW 31 (a different kind of preggers drama), _Hey, Wanna Cyber?_ by Lucytheslut and Xo-ILoveEdward-oX (so funny and dirty and silly, if not particularly intellectual--I can't stop reading it.)**. **Also, you all should check out the The Official Twilight SmutVent Calendar 2008, from BritishBitches to get your fix.

* * *

_Chapter 29: So Says the Soothsayer_

* * *

_I held out my hand._

_He grabbed it._

_I told him the whole story._

* * *

Jake had his thumb pressed to his lips. His arms formed a cage around my body. He pulled in long, even breaths while staring me intently in the eyes. His eyes searched and interrogated mine. He even looked slightly hurt. There were so many things he didn't know, didn't realize. Why hadn't I told him before? Why had I shut him out? And there was anger. Hatred. Unvented wrath. Even jealousy and a dash of possessiveness. He loved me. I was his, I had always been his, and he wanted to shred and burn every last fragment of Olivier.

At the base of his eyes, though, was an intense sweetness. He wanted me to know that here, in his arms, I could only be safe.

Frankly, the "Let's keep Nessie safe vibe" irritated me.

I focused instead on the fact that my bum was bare and his was not. So while my eyes held steady with Jake's, my hands crept about searching out Jake's zipper. Normally, Jake wore very simple clothing and I think my hands would easily have found the zipper, but since Alice had chosen this set of clothes, there were several confusing flaps and buttons to be reckoned with.

When I found it, I slid the zipper down in single stroke.

Jake gave a little jump, his eyes popping slightly. He lifted my chin with his finger and gave me a devilish glare.

"You're trying to distract me."

"Is it not working?"

"Ness, seriously, do you even have to ask me that?"

I could feel the long length of him through the fabric of his boxers.

My phone chose that moment to go off. I drew it of my pocket out and chucked it at the wall.

Jake snatched it out its trajectory.

I hissed at him.

He gave me a peck and then flipped it open.

"Hey, it's Jake." Did I note a tinge of impatience in his voice?

"Hallo, Jakey," Estela's voice purred. "I see you found our little Nessie. And how ez she doin'?" More low purring.

I gripped Jake firmly through his boxers.

He swallowed heavily. "Eh, Estela, was there something you wanted to ask Ness?"

She laughed. "Oh, yes. Now, lemme think. What was it? Ah, yesss. It's just that her daddy is on his way." Jake's eyes widened. "And I thought someone should let you two know…"

We both cursed.

I heard Estela's laughter as Jake clicked off the phone.

"Jake, we'll think about what I just told you. That will keep him mostly out of our heads. Well, at least in part. He wanted me to "open up on my own," and he, himself, knows the worst of it, anyway. And as for the rest of it…" I took in a breath. The smells emanating from both us were so obvious. "You're going to throw me in the river." I started pulling on my clothes.

"What?"

"They think I'm brat. It's believable."

He laughed. "Fine, then. It'll mean I get to see you in a wet t-shirt."

"Off we go then."

And we went.

* * *

We were sitting on the bank, sopping wet, when my father, mother, and Rosalie arrived.

"Why do I smell wet dog? Oh, that's right, because the _mutt_ is here." Rosalie pinched her nose with drama.

Jake said nothing but silently picked up a rock off the bank. He looked at Rose like he was going to hurl the rock directly at her, but instead shot it at the maple above her, causing snow and ice to fall. Rosalie had to skip aside to avoid the downpour. Mom clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. Dad looked only faintly amused.

Rose advanced on Jake. "If any of that had gotten in my hair…" she growled menacingly.

"Then you'd look like the ice queen that you are," Jake sang derisively.

Mom and dad both had to grab onto Rose to prevent her from swatting at Jake.

Jake sat cool as a clam, twiddling his thumbs nonchalantly.

Rose fixed her glare on me, as if I was somehow to blame for their exchange, but then her gaze changed, becoming appraising, and she gasped, "Ness, your beautiful curls are frozen! They're going to snap off if you're not careful."

Her eyes narrowed and swung back to Jacob. "The tail-wagger threw my niece in the river, didn't he?"

I shrugged.

My dad turned to Jake, eyeing him skeptically. "And why did you throw my daughter in the river?"

"She wouldn't talk to me."

"But she did talk to you," he finished, hearing the rest of Jake's thoughts. He looked at me as he spoke, relief evident on his face. My mother had a similar look, and the anger had left Rose's face.

I gave my head an irritated shake. That's right, folks. Little Renesmee had a conversation with her boyfriend. Let's put a shiny star on Nessie's mental report card.

I stood up. "Let's go," I pronounced. I did not need them to launch into a full-blown therapy session.

I started marching back to the house. Jake ran up and caught my arm, and together, we all headed back.

* * *

Life at St. Clair was rather calm for the next few days. There was only one major problem. I wanted time alone with Jake. He was leaving on Monday evening. My parents, aunts, and uncles didn't seem to want me to have time alone with Jake. Thus, I suppose I may have acted out a bit…

Since I wasn't allowed to do things with Jake, I took it upon myself to "show" Jake the things I'd like to do to him. I would gently reach over to push the hair out of his eyes and then pop an image of me bent over the table into his head. It was rather amusing to shock Jake, but these little images didn't go over so well with dad. He hissed a lot, yelled at me, and snarled at Jacob. Mom had to spend a good part of the day calming him down.

When you're bored and suffocated, these sorts of things are funny.

Emmett and Jasper egged me on in this. While they insisted that they didn't wish to see their niece up to any "funny business," they had apparently doubled the odds on a Jake-Edward showdown.

I also finally sat down with Alice.

"So where is he? What's he planning? Why haven't you all gone and smacked him down"

"Hmmm…" she murmured, not looking up from her book.

I placed my hand on her knee.

_The murder. The would-be rapist. The vampiric embodiment of an asshole. Who else? Olivier._

She set down her book and sighed. "I don't know."

_What do you mean you don't know? You always know._

"You've inherited your mother's attraction for trouble, it seems, Nessie. It's just the trouble in your case is infinitely more dangerous and clever. Whenever I try to see _Olivier_, I only see him in nondescript places, like a tree in the forest or a dark lit room. He's cunning. I occasionally see him with another vampire—a female, but I can never make much out of it. I always seem to catch the tail end of things. It's like they understand my power—and only ever make plans to meet at the last second. That's why we haven't been able to track him down—we haven't been able to find him."

_But what about me. Do you think he's given up? Do you think he'll leave me alone?_

"No. I still see flashes with fuzziness."

_And I'm the fuzziness._

"Nessie, they're never clear, and they're always short."

_Sooooo…_

"So that means he's still focused on you, he just hasn't made any decisions."

I spoke aloud. "He's waiting for me to come to him."

Alice brushed some invisible dust off the cover of her book. "It would seem that would be the case."

_I'd like to rip him limb from limb._

Alice sighed. "Don't think I haven't seen your decisions, dear. Know this—if you even think of pulling a stunt like you did before—it will not end well. You cannot face such a powerful vampire on your own."

I huffed. _I've been training._

"The training might, and I say "might," be enough to save your life long enough to run away, but don't even think about taking him on by yourself, Nessie. " She picked up her book again. "Let things run their course, dear. All will resolve itself in time."

_So says the soothsayer._

Alice smirked slightly.

"So says she."

She turned to the next page in her book.

* * *

Late Friday afternoon, Estella stuck her head over the top of the sofa and stared down at me, beaming like she'd just won a prize. "Nessie-Sexy, you and me and Jakie and Nahuel—we're a'hittin' the town."

"Oh, really?" I sat up on the couch. This actually sounded exciting.

"Ah, sí. I made your daddy say yes. You need some _tiempo_ sans vampires, no?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. I couldn't help but wonder what she had done to get my father to say yes. "That would actually be pretty cool, Estela. When do we leave?"

"Soon. You come with me, Sexy-Nessie. I already picked out your thingies." She grabbed my hands and pulled me off the couch. I grumbled but followed her to the carriage house. I had hit rock bottom. I was bowing to _Estela's_ style choices. This would surely mean beads and bangles and flora in strange places. But all of this I was disposed to bear, because, if everything went alright, I'd get some time alone with Jake.

And I _really_ wanted more time alone with Jake.

* * *


	30. Chapter 30: Gardening

_Disclaimer: _Twilight is Stephenie Meyers... not mine. So don't sue me and all of that.

Author's Note:  
So I wrote this up yesterday...

It's not exactly happy and holiday-like. And it is _not _the chapter I promised (that chap is about half way done and much, much longer) but hopefully, you'll appreciate this one as a dark little xmas present. It's pretty dark and erotic and well, it's starring our fave villain, so Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Yeah, so it's sort of lemon-like down below... Warning.

So, thank you all for showing the love. WaxC (I simply cannot write WC) is nominated at the Twilighted awards! yay—and all of that.

Oh, and this one used to be on my profile, but I still want to recommend it, because the author,"Princess Bertha," keeps updating Red Sky at Morning, sequel to Endless Daylight, which is a Leah-Jake story—which almost sends me into hysterics each time I read it—and I do reread it, especially if I'm angry like her Leah. Honestly, if you like my Ness, you'll probably like Leah, so go read it and go nominate her for an alt pairing at the Twilight awards—because that's what I did.

* * *

_Chapter 30: Gardening_

* * *

The humans were packed together like fetid sardines stuffed into a can. Bodies ground up against bodies, and the neon strobes from above revolved around the floor, catching a continuous flash of noses, ears, the upraised arm, or the shock of hair. Above all else, he smelled the blood—the sweet, succulent perfume that caused the back of his throat to sear with thirst. There were other smells, too. Sweat, body odor, and lust pervaded the air, but then his nostrils flared as he caught another scent—an anticipated scent—the dewy smell of water lily and a spike of something close to eucalyptus.

His first instinct was to move off the balcony and enter the crowd, but the water lily smell had moved—and been joined by another smell—blood—so he needn't waste his time in here.

He stole back out the window. He had to break the latch—an irritation.

He silently landed on the balls of his feet and graced his way around to the back of the stone building.

_Ah, there she is._

She had the male pinned up against the wall, and her silver mane of her hair was shivering and shining ever so slightly in the moonlight as she pulled in the blood from a rip in the center of the neck. The sucking noise was dead silent, but when you were the undead—dead silent was what you heard.

He knew that she knew that he was here.

He was interrupting, and so he waited patiently.

When she was done, she let the body collapse in heap. He was rather sure that she'd throw it in the river before sunrise.

"Bon soir, mademoiselle. I must remark, you show such enthusiasm for your dinner."

She wiped a strip of blood off her chin.

"_Mademoiselle_!" she scoffed, clapping her hand over her forehead. "Baise-moué l'ail! I look to be twenty years your senior."

_[AN: __translation:__ Kiss my ass—or in Quebecois slang literally, kiss my **garlic**. And yes, I thought the garlic part was extra funny.]_

"But you look so very girlish this evening, Bertie."

She crossed her arms, "And why do I have the pleasure of your fine company this evening, mon Olivier? Is your little flower not yet watered?"

"Oh, but Bertie," he smiled wickedly at her. "You must know how I adore gardening." He strode up to her and pressed her hips against the stone alley wall.

She frowned at him, but then she smiled. "So the answer is no?" she teased. She slid her hands on either side of his behind, and then she squeezed—hard.

"I was actually hoping that you might join me in a little hunt this evening—but since you've already eaten…" he leaned forward and licked a lingering drop of blood out of the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, and do tell, what is the strategy, First-Lieutenant Olivier?"

He ignored her tone. "The little orchid and her pretty little friend are coming to town to visit with the dog and the brother."

"And you need my help."

"You did _promise_ me, and besides don't you want to be a grandma?"

Another snort. "You don't even know if that's possible."

"She smells like an orchid, and she is just so very lovely."

"And how does her little friend smell?"

"I haven't gotten close enough to know."

"But you said she had such extravagant eyes, and Olivier, you do have a thing for eyes."

"The honeyed one does have beautiful eyes, but I must confess a certain attachment to the mocha-colored pair on my little orchid—they have my heart, you see."

She raised her brow. "You know, you could just wait for the 'little friend' to leave and then track her. Then, you wouldn't have to deal with the other's family."

"Ah, but Bertie, where would the fun in that be?'

"Where, indeed?" she grumbled.

His hand began to crawl up her leg. Her eyes closed at his movement. "So you will help, won't you?" he importuned her.

"I suppose," she acceded. Her breath was accelerating, as he knew it would.

She did not look surprised when he grabbed the front panel of her pants and then easily shredded them off.

"You know, Olivier, I require pants so that I go unnoticed. There aren't many gray-haired women with legs like these."

"But of course, don't worry, Bertie. I was planning on fetching a morsel from inside in only a few minutes. I'll be sure to choose one in your size, since you've already found a male in mine."

He tore open the front of his own pants.

"A 'few minutes,' Olivier? Don't I get any foreplay?"

"But Bertie—you just hunted—and I know how the hunt makes your venom flow."

She smirked at him, and he moved towards her, pressing his bare half against hers, and he grabbed her thighs, angling her just so.

"And as I told you, Bertie. Now is not the time for play."

Another sinful grin, and he jerked forward, and she gasped, clutching onto him as he drove her against the stone wall.

"Because the real games start tonight," he growled into her ear.

* * *

* * *

Author's blabbing:

Ah, I know. _Dirty, dirty stuff, Pastich Pen_.

But it's going to be soooo good.

I have another new story up "Sin and Incivility," but this one is shortish--like six chapters, and is for the most part completely written. It's AU-Human and a bloody fruit basket, and much closer to my actual writing style. The first chapter is up and it's dirty, dirty--kind of like the one above--except worse--yes, worse--because it's BellaxJames. There is an actual story, however, and the reason that Bella is with James is sort of heartbreaking. So if you like some intense drama and sour lemons, check it out.

* * *


	31. Chapter 31: Sauce and Saucy

Disclaimer: Twilight ain't mine.

_Good AU I've Been Reading_: Creature of Habit by edwardzukorocks. It's Edward's POV—and it's just amazingly well-done—funny and clever as fuck. Also, there's some serious negligence on my part for not pimping EclipsedbyJacob's story Changing Sides (on Twilighted(dot)net)--which has the most badass Bella vampire imaginable. Go. Read.

_News_: Waxing Crescent has been nommed for two Twilight awards! Yay! Thank you guys! Best WIP and Best Side-Pairing. Voting should start soon... not sure what the date that will be, though.

So, this chappie... It had to be rewritten three times. Badness. Badness. Badness. But now I"m back on track, and I have some of the later chapters drafted. So onward ho!

Music is necessary for this chap. There are two songs: Chakachas - Eso Es el Amor (classic) & Patra – Queen of the Pack (reggaeton)

_Limade below._

* * *

Chapter 31: Sauce and Saucy

* * *

Estela tied my dress to me.

Literally.

She picked up long strips of silver damask print and filmy gossamer and bound them around my body, before tying them onto me with delicately woven straps of leather twine and silk ribbon. Never one to lack pizzazz, she embellished by ornamenting my wrists and arms with golden, tinkling baubles and antique brass hoops, binding and looping them with an artist's sense of whimsy and the savvy of a master craftsman.

Eyeliner. Dark thick strokes of eyeliner.

"Eye liner scares de'men," Estela insisted, "When a woman's eyes are so dark, the men don't have a clue what to expect, no? They just know they should expect something—and _that_ is good, Sexy-Nessie, because we must, must, must keep them a'guessing guessin' guessin'."

I shrugged and let her do her thing.

She bound my hair with leather strips as well, letting tendrils of curl flare out unexpectedly.

When she finished, I felt like I'd been mummified—but I didn't look that way. I looked elegant but in a savage sort of way.

"You look better than my flimsy models, Sexy-Nessie. Your lovely cheekbones and lips possess your father's exquisite shape with your mommy's sweetness, and you're tall enough now, too. You would look sooo good as the lead in my fall collection," she analyzed, before sighing.

I gave her an anxious look.

"Eh, what's diz face? You shouldn't worry yourself, anyway. I already asked. Mommy and daddy said _'ah, no_,'" she spat, waving her finger in the air in imitation of my mother. "But maybe someday, no?"

I hastily changed the course of the conversation. "So where are we going?"

She waggled her finger at me. "Eh, no, no. It's a surprise, Nessie-Sexy. And no tricking Jakie into tellin' you."

She clapped her hands. "Now let's see how Jakito and Nahuelito look, eh?"

* * *

Getting out the door was interesting.

My mom kept affectionately patting me, like _insistently_ patting me, to the point that I was almost sure I would have had limp, straight hair if she was human, because the oils in her hand would have weighed down the curls.

Rosalie stood in the corner, giving me a steady but lecturing stare and occasionally flicking an annoyed look over at Jacob, who grinned every time he caught it.

Dad was not present. At the request of Alice and mom, Emmett and Jasper had taken the liberty of dragging him out to hunt.

There was almost unanimous familial agreement that "little Nessie" needed _space_ and _a chance to breathe. _Ugh. I agreed with them, but it was more in the "I'd really like to sex my boyfriend before he leaves" vein, as opposed to "Let Nessie not be a nutter" plan.

Besides assisting Estela with fashion nuttiness, Alice had actually been quite helpful. She had personally assisted in arranging for the removal of my father, and she'd helped Estela pick out the supposed venues that we would be attending. Very thoughtful. Even though she allegedly had no human memories, I secretly wondered if her years in the loony bin weren't subconsciously affecting her willingness to be helpful…

* * *

And then we were finally in the car.

Jake insisted on driving—which annoyed me because it meant I couldn't amuse him with a nice long barrage of enticing images: bare legs, the line between my breasts, the aquamarine underwear I had chosen, etc. My favorite bit of creativity featured an instant in which all the cords on my dress just… "snapped," and then the lines of fabric unwound and fluttered to the floor in a tinkling mess.

But _apparently_ Jake was avoiding my brand of cinema.

Huh, but then again, from the looks I kept catching from him, maybe I didn't need the visions.

Every time the brass baubles tinkled he seemed to stiffen slightly.

Then I realized he was glaring at Nahuel, who seemed to have the corner of his eye trained on my leg.

Right. Protective boyfriend mode. I kicked Jake's seat.

Beside me, Estela laughed. She caught everything.

After a while, the view outside the window changed from suburban neighborhoods to light commercial and then to taller office buildings as we entered downtown. I was looking out the window when Estela pressed a piece of plastic into my hand.

A fake ID. I was 19 apparently.

I caught Estela's palm._ So we're going to a club?_

She waved her hand at me. "Lounges, clubs, bars—when'a Nahuelito and _yo_ sally out—we hit all the stops, you know?"

Well, I was about to find out.

* * *

Through the doorway my ears heard Spanish, English, French, Portuguese. My eyes fixed on the flutter and whirl of lime, canary yellow, orange, and ruby dresses against black pants and tall, dark, and handsome silhouettes.

_Salsa_. We were at a salsa bar.

I was already skipping ahead to the door, Estela gracefully sashaying along behind me.

The bouncer didn't even bother to check my ID—but this may have been because his eyes seemed to be bouncing between Estela's hips and my breasts.

I thought I heard Jake growl again.

Nahuel seemed totally unfazed. I had a feeling he was used to his sister receiving attention.

My eyes were trained on the dancers as I skipped through the doorway and into the club.

Quick-quick-slow. Quick-quick-quick.

Maracas. Horn. Drums. Timbales. Claves. The strum of the bass guitar.

But underneath it all the incessant percussion drove: quick-quick-slow—quick-quick-quick.

The dancers shifted, hips and high heels and patent loafers moving in beat with the music. The better dancers used the full space available, twisting, dipping, and shaking it for all they had. The sheer energy in the room already had my hips swaying slightly to the pumping beat.

"Oohkay, Nahuelito, go! Enseña the salsa to Sexy-Nessie."

Nahuel casually reached for my arm, but Jake's hand blocked him, a hardened glare in his eyes.

Estela laughed.

"Jake, you don't know _how_, and neither does she."

I gave a little huff. I knew I could figure it out fast enough, and then there was the tiny little fact that my reflexes were infinitely better than the flock of humans bumbling about on the dance floor.

Jake barely glanced at her. "We'll manage." He bent to pull me towards him.

But Estela stopped him.

"Eh, _no_. You're a'gonna watch with me, and then we'll head out, but you need to know how to lead, and you won't be leadin' either me or your sexy little woman until you've seen it done properly." She stated these words firmly.

Firmly enough that Jake released his hold on my arm.

But then Estela smiled, "Because my brother—he knows how to give a woman a proper spin."

And then Estela pushed me towards the dance floor, Nahuel's hand caught my lower back, and we were dodging past rounded bottoms, fuchsia lips, sweaty brows, and the overwhelming scents of adrenaline, rum, tequila, sweat, and fevered lust.

And then there was an open space, we stopped, and Nahuel put my hand on his hip and then his hand on my waist, and then our free hands locked.

"You got it?" he asked.

_Yep._ I showed him.

This was going to be fun. I didn't even have to speak.

"Keep with the beat. Watch my eyes. _You_ will have no problems with this," he whispered encouragingly in my ear.

I gave him a withering look even as I smirked. He was whispering just to piss off Jake.

But then the music blared and Nahuel's hand tightened on my hip, and we both moved.

We stepped to the drums and the rattles and blast of the horn.

Nahuel's warm teak eyes told me when a new break was coming, and his hand on my hip pulled me in the direction he wanted me to go.

And it was easy.

And fun.

And I kept laughing.

And dancing.

And smiling.

He could tell, so he picked it up a notch, and started to throw in spins.

Which made me laugh more.

Nahuel was _good_—and I mean good in the way that he made swirls and flashes with his hands that on most any other man-thing would have looked effeminate, but Nahuel did them with such command and edge—that they just _worked_, and then there was the way that he talked less with his eyes and more with his shoulders and his hands and his hips. Thus, he led, wooing me with his movements, and keeping up came naturally to me. I only occasionally grabbed his hand for clarification.

But then Nahuel slowed, pulling me securely to him and into a simpler series of steps. His eyes looked concerned, but the corner of his mouth was twitching in a smirk.

I turned my head to see Jacob being held back by an amused Estela.

Huh. Jake looked a little… covetous.

And then Estela finally really got a hold on him, and from across the dance floor I could still hear, "Eh, no, Jakie! You're not dancing with your little woman until you can prove to me you got da moves."

It appeared to me that Jake tried to protest, but then Estela had his hand on her hip and she was moving.

At first Jake seemed to be reluctant, but then he started moving with her.

On one hand seeing Jake move in that way was rather ridiculously hot, but then seeing him move so _with_ _Estela_—who had an ass like J-Lo and moved her hips with Shakira gusto—well, that was not so cool…

And then the little harlot did this thing where she pulled her leg at a 180 degree angle all the way over head and spun on her four-inch tangerine heel.

I almost lunged across the room.

But Nahuel stopped me, pulling me against his chest, and then he took it upon himself to distract me. Nahuel did this by forgoing the pressure on my hip and instead guiding me by the leather and silk straps that bound my "dress" to my body. Estela had wrapped the strings in a strange maze—around, under, and through.

So when Nahuel tugged or pulled on the strings…

I would feel an unexpected twing across my left breast.

Or a twang across my lower abdomen.

Or a general tightening across the top of my ass.

I was an electrified cello, and Nahuel was going Yo-Yo Ma on me, only Latin style.

So I was flushed and embarrassingly turned on and also feeling guilty about it.

But then on one of the many twists that Nahuel spun me on, my gaze caught sight of Estela's shimmying ass just a hair's breadth away from Jacob's crotch. Jake's gaze was also looking in our direction. His eyes flicked from frostily staring at Nahuel, to sending apologetic—_forgive me, there's nothing I can do_—looks at me.

I sulked.

Well, two could play at this game.

I caught Nahuel's hand, showing him what I wanted. He went directly into the motion, even as I caught him rolling his eyes slightly, but my knee came up to my middle, Nahuel caught the thin, long heel of my shoe, pulled it over his shoulder, and he lifted and spun us.

Making me very hot and dizzy.

But then Jake was at my side.

And I was being "retrieved."

_Not unlike a Frisbee._

Because that's what wolfy boyfriends do when they get territorial apparently.

So I tried to protest, but then Jacob was pulling me not just away, but down a back hallway.

I considered back hallways to be good things where the love of my life was concerned, so I stopped any form of objection.

And then Jake pulled us into a dark closet, full of paint cans and brooms and the scents of ammonia and commercial cleaners.

And then I was pushed up against the faded plaster wall.

I could taste Jake's breath on my mouth—a spicy hot steam diffusing dark fragrance.

It overwhelmed everything else.

I pulled him towards me and trailed my tongue along the edge of his bottom lip.

And then I moaned as he took my tongue into my mouth, his soft, tangy and combustible tongue meeting mine, and the sweet devouring and pushpull deftly unlatching the vault of endorphins in my brain as well as the wetness between my legs.

My hands forked through his hair while his hands found my sides, sliding down over the straps and folds in the fabric until they found my hip bones and gripped me tightly.

"No, more dancing with Nahuel," he breathed into my ear. His teeth bit at the edge of my ear lobe at the end of his sentence.

_I don't know, Jake—I think I _like_ it when you get jealous,_ I let him know, showing him the angry expression he had worn as he pulled me down the hall.

I saw a flicker of annoyance in his eyes—but it didn't last long.

Because I pulled open the top button on his pants.

In return Jake whisked his hand under my dress.

I stopped him.

Even as dragging his hand away made me moan.

_Wait._ I insisted.

I undid his zipper and pulled down his pants.

The only light in the closet emanated from the thin white line at the bottom of the door, yet I could still see perfectly in the blackness, as could Jake.

He stared down carefully at me as I reached to pull him out of his boxers.

I don't know what he expected—but I knew what I had expected.

I had had my hand down there before, _after all._

Although out in the open blackness, he did appear bigger than I had thought.

So, I gave him a sly smile.

And he smirked back at me.

And then I dropped to my knees and I licked it.

A groan.

He hadn't expected that.

"Just watch the teeth," he joked.

I had to fight not thwack him, but instead…

_You heal quickly,_ I countered.

His eyes popped, but then—I licked him—this time lolling my tongue around in a circle.

Jake had to prop his arms against the walls for support.

And then I took him in my mouth in a long single gulp. In response, Jake's breathing became blustery and I felt his muscles tense under my hands, but I kept going, one hand gripping the base of him, and the other firmly fixed on his back ass cheek.

Outside the closet, down the hall, the beats of the reggaeton sent a constant thumping-shivering through the entire building.

And I was matching the beat as I moved up and down on Jake.

Jake's breath came out in gasps as his thumbs traced the edges of my brow and his fingers picked at the tendrils of loose curl.

And I could feel the acceleration in his blood vessels, the arc in his heartbeats, the thickening concentration of his musky scent, and the spiraling speed of his breathing.

So I sucked in faster and harder, and my nails dug ever so slightly into his back as I pulled him even deeper.

And then his breathing stopped and his chest seemed to tighten, followed by the rush of warm fluid filling my mouth, and a prolonged groan from Jacob, whose almost-black eyes darkened to pitch and almost seemed to fade out as his peak hit him.

I stood, and he pulled me to him, kissing from the edge of my shoulder to the corner of my neck and then underneath my jaw until he dragged his mouth to meet my lips, and then his lips enthusiastically searched out mine, tugging on and nipping at my lips and tongue, as if he wanted to try and show his appreciation through kisses.

And then his hand slid under my dress.

It found the edge of my panties, and it ripped.

Jake tossed the thin satin scrap to the floor.

I seemed to float suspended for a second longer than it should have.

And then it curled in the air and floated to the floor.

And then his hands were climbing down my body, fingers sneaking underneath the silk strands and leather cords and flicking the baubles and hoops into a tinkling cadence as he strummed his way down my shape.

I pushed myself up against him, lifting myself on his right thigh, so that I could grind my wetness against him. He moaned, and I felt him twitch against me but not at full mast because apparently, Jake was still recuperating.

But then Jake's hands left my sides, and he slipped a finger into me.

Which sent a stroke of tension straight up my body.

But then Jake's hand found my hip again, and he moved me.

He moved me to the beats still thumping outside the room.

And yet still—

He moved me with his finger in a slick vertical and his thumb gently pressed aside my clit.

And he lifted off the wall, and pulled me to him, easily holding my weight, while still swaying my hips back and forth to the shimmer of the maracas and the _bomb bop buh bumb_ of the percussion. And the rotation of his finger round and down between my legs made me feel like I was sliding down the curled rings of a wall screw—tightening and tightening into my destination.

And then the music reached its final arc.

And Jake's thumb circled, too.

The bass of the drums burst in fury.

And I joined in.

Clenching and unclenching

Biting into his upper back.

And then the music came to a stop.

We heard cheers from the main room.

I wanted to clap, too.

But then I could feel that Jake was still hard against me.

And my body still wanted more.

It was greedy and it wanted him—all of him.

So I pushed him back against the wall, forcing him to sit on the edge of a knee-level cardboard box.

And then I sat down on him, grinding my hips and pressing my wetness against his cock, as I kissed down his neck.

"Ness?" Jake questioned.

And I looked in his eyes.

And I grabbed his hand.

I told him what I wanted.

He shook his head.

_No_.

And then he tried to kiss me.

But I pushed back.

Though he grabbed me to hold me.

"Ness—it's just—_now_ is bad."

I couldn't really speak.

_You're leaving in three days._

"Ness, I don't want our first time to be in a closet."

_Then let's find a hotel with a bed._

"Ness, I don't want it to be like this."

I couldn't help it—I felt low and sad—and unloved.

I turned my head away.

But he pulled it back. "Hey," he brushed a finger under my chin. "Ness, you and I—we are meant to be—there's never going to be anyone else—I am bound to you, so when I make love to you… it's going to be like marrying you. It's me making you my wife. Do you understand that?"

I couldn't help it. I smiled up at him, if a bit peevishly.

And then I nodded.

_So cool. Let's do it._

Jake groaned in frustration.

"Ness, we need to wait until we're married."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Ness, your family, your _dad_—"

But those words finished it.

I pushed off of his lap and pushed open the closet door.

Jake grabbed my arm, but I threw his hand off.

Plus, he still had pants to adjust.

And I was fucking fast.

So I was on the dance floor and steadily walking toward to the door in the next second.

But then Estela caught me.

"Sexy-Nessie been havin'…" but then she trailed off when she saw my face. "Oh, eh-huh," she concluded, and she pulled me by the arm to the bar.

Jake emerged from the hall then and made to come towards us, but Estela held up a finger.

"Not now, Jakie—Estela needs to calm your little women," she threatened from across the room.

Jake gave me a frustrated look.

I pursed my lips and pointedly ignored him.

Estela picked up my hand and dragged me to the door with her.

"Where are we going?" I demanded.

Once we were outside, she thrust a corked vile into my hand.

_Blood_.

And she then she handed me a small bottle of what appeared to be grain alcohol.

She took a swig from the bottle, and then chased it with the blood from the vile.

I watched, intrigued.

And then she handed me the bottle. I drank and then I chased it with the warm red fluid.

Both the booze and the blood made my throat burn.

I almost choked.

But I stopped myself.

And then I looked up at Estela.

She had a savage grin on her face.

"Now," she said.

"Now, what?" I asked.

"Now, it'sa Ladies Night!" she declared happily.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the neon-lit street.

* * *

* * *


	32. Chapter 32: Girls Unfurled

_Disclaimer_: Stephene Meyer created Twilight. Her characters would not curse or be all about the smexy bizness like mine are but *shrug* whatever. (hehe)

_Bidness_: I'm like a columnist and stuff! So, check out my article that posted today on the discerningficster(at)blogspot(dot)com - it's all about newbie story promotion, and I think it's sorta funny and helpful. Also, the ficster blog offers good recs. (Link on my profile.)

_What I've been reading: _If you like my story you'll love Innocence and Experience by Thallium81. She's a brave author, and her story is deliciously complete with a badass fight scene at the end, so it can sate you while you wait for WaxCr to pick up on the speediness.

So, the chapter below, things kick into high gear. Yay! And the plot is set folks, so have no fears.

* * *

Chapter 32: Girls Unfurled

* * *

Estela had me by the hand. We were both running down the lamp-lit street.

And giggling.

Like the drunken stooges that we were.

When a strolling security guard's mouth fell open in shock, I recognized that we needed to keep it in check and attempt to act human. I came to a grinding halt. Estela kept going.

"Estela—slllllllllllrrrrow down," I called.

"Ay, no—_corrrrrrrrrrrre_!" she made a point of prolonging the roll of her r's, and then she ran back to where I stood and pulled on my hand.

"Esssssssstellllllllllllllllllllla!" I yelled, yanking my arm away and smacking my hands over my face in my best imitation of Marlon Brando.

She stopped, pivoting on her heel.

"Ay, no!" she snapped theatrically.

"No, what?" I asked curiously.

"Eh'look missy-Loch-Ness-lizard—eh don't make fun of my name. Also, you need to work on your impressions—Marlon, _mi amor_, does not sound _ni jota_ like that."

I huffed. I thought I did pretty well.

So I showed her the image in my head instead.

She patted me happily on the arm. "Now that is _nice_," she purred, gazing up dreamily.

I smiled at her.

"And soooo, ya gonna show me a few good shots of Jakie, too?" she teased, already skipping back from me.

I lunged anyway.

But she dodged.

"Nessie! You're still so uptight, you need to drink more…" and then she held up a new vial.

I held out my hand.

"Eh, no—we need to find a proper bar," she insisted, shoving the vile back into her purse. "Some place with martini glasses and pretty cocktails."

"What about Jake and Nahuel?" I whined.

"I'll text them—tell them to stay _away_. We need girl time. Martini and cocktail girl time," she insisted, pulling out her phone and pressing buttons.

I raised an eyebrow at her—I was pretty sure "martinis and cocktails" would taste like saccharine drool.

But I followed her anyway.

* * *

Twenty minutes later found the two of us tittering over the topic of Estela's love life.

"And I say to him, 'you big snow cone—eh'_stop_ licking me!'"

I had to control my laughing in order to ask "Did he stop?"

"No! He asked me if I'd prefer that he bit me!"

My laughter cut off, and I gasped dramatically.

She laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "And I said—I don't need your venom from there—I'm interested in the other snake."

"Esssssssssstelllla," I groaned. "I don't need all the details."

"Oh, but details are fun. You're gonna give me Jakie details, no?

"Nuh-uh. No way, Missaaayh," I fervently shook my head at her.

"But Nessie-Sexy, it's not like you have anyone else to talk with this about," she argued.

My mouth opened to argue, but no words came out. She was right. Talking to any of my aunts about Jake… Or urgh, even worse was the thought of _talking to my mother_. Not even a remote possibility. And then no human girl could really understand, and then there were the questions I'd always wondered about… Well, actually, Leah could probably be counted upon—not that she'd ever want to talk about my relationship with Jacob, although admittedly I'd spent a good portion of the past two years listening thoughtfully to her never-ending disappoint with all creatures classifiably male…

But Estela had a point. She was a half-vamp, like me. I eyed her carefully.

She mimicked my look, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips in imitation.

I rolled my eyes, but then I asked, "…sooo Estela, have you or any of your half-sisters ever considered having…?" I trailed off, because I was uncomfortable.

Estela eyed me amusedly. "Having…?"

"Um, babies?"

And then the world seemed to seep away, because Estela's normally bright and playful eyes seemed to fade into a muted cloud of gray and the expression remaining on her face was guarded, defensive and also undeniably lonesome.

"Estela, I shouldn't have asked—I'm sorry. We can just forget—"

"No."

"Estela, I—"

"Hush," she shushed me, and then she pulled the martini glass filled with Grey Goose off the table, lowered it just below, and poured some of the red vial into the basin. The blood swirled dissonantly against the clear liquid until they dissolved into one another.

"Hey, Estela, I think the bartender is starting to take notice. We've probably drank our weight in vodka tonight."

She shrugged as she brought the glass to her lips. "We metabolize and burn it off too quickly—we're not drunk, just _un poco_ tipsy," she giggled, and then she waved her hand aloft. "Besides, we're drinking the expensive stuff—he won't care unless we cause trouble."

"Alright, then, hand it over," I demanded. She handed me the vial, and I deftly lowered it beneath my table and poured some into my drink.

I had just taken my first sip, when Estela spoke, "So, babies."

My head popped up again. "Estella, really, you don't have—"

She started talking over me, like I hadn't said a word. "I don't know if we can have babies, Nessie. I don't. Although, I will say this. You _smell_ like you can have babies."

I frowned at her. The orchid smell was not something I loved having discussed.

"Also, I think it will be different with you and Jakie. You have the same chromosomal count. Also, there's this _imprint_ to consider."

"But Estela—I mean my mom and my dad—she was human—why do you think you couldn't…?"

Estela shrugged again. "Maybe we're like mules. Mules gain the best characteristics of horses and donkeys—making them worth breeding, but they themselves are sterile."

"Ugh, Estella, farm animals."

She laughed. "You know, I asked Carlisle about it when we were doing blood testing. He couldn't give me a clear answer, but he gave me some theories. It is possible that venom is incompatible with our systems—especially, you know, _down there_," she wiggled her eyebrows, and then she continued, "Carlisle noted that your blood is quite different from mine. Did you know that? He said mostly because you've never hunted humans, and well there's also…"

"Also what?"

" Also, Nessie, I've never been with a human—not in that way…" she trailed off again.

"Really?" I blurted. I couldn't hide my surprise.

She smiled weakly at me. "Well, there was only once, and…"

Her eyes cast down, darkened.

"You bit him," I finished for her.

"I killed him," she muttered, not looking up at me.

"I'm sorry."

We sat there in sad, sobering silence.

"I thought at the time that I could make it work. He loved me, and I thought I could return…" she took a long breath. "I'm not sure we—humans, vampires—can live in the same world, you know? I know you begged to go to high school, and I understand why you wanted to go, but I'm not sure our worlds can mix."

I frowned at her. "The wolves do alright."

"They do, but they don't crave the blood, which makes _all_ the difference," she said, and then her expression visibly brightened. "You know, _querida_, I really do want to meet Jakie's pack brothers. I do. The idea of being with someone warm and yet unbreakable is _verrrry_ appealing." She smiled wickedly at me, and I could tell that happy Estela was back.

I smiled back, and then I tapped my finger on my chin. "Hmmm… I wonder if you'd like Embry or Seth or one of the younger ones. Seth is really sweet—smart as hell, too, while Embry is pretty much a 'dude' who's good at all the mechanical..."

"Stop. Stop. Stop. If you tell me too much, I'm eh'gonna get my hopes up."

"Ha! I'm going to spend some time at La Push this summer, so you'll have to—"

But we were cut off by a guttural slurring. "Why, I say hello there, helllooooo there, moooonshine and sunny-sunshine," drawled a large cheeked, red-faced man. He had both hands on our table, using them to support his weight.

"Eh, uh, _no_. Goodbye," Estela retorted, waving her hand dismissively at him.

"Aw, now. Don't be like that, now," he slurred.

We both stared at him. Our stares were not human stares. Boar face took an unconscious step back in response, his eyes widening, his breath accelerating, and a new layer of sweat sweeping out of his pores—the smell of whiskey strengthening. Estela raised an annoyed eyebrow, and then she raised her finger and made a quick circle, showing him that he needed to turn and leave. He did but slowly, taking stiff steps over to the bar.

"Oh, Nessie. Why is it so hard to meet nice men?" Estela groaned, returning her eyes to mine.

"Well, at least you've got time on your side," I joked.

"Ha-ha-ha," Estela laughed falsely, but then she smiled for real. "So, what did Jakie do to piss you off?" she asked.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

She laughed, leaning back in her seat. "Eh, come on, Nessie. I bared my soul, now you get to bare yours."

I gazed at the ceiling. It totally figured that Estela would guilt me into talking about my sex life—or lack thereof for that matter, so I sighed and spat it out, "Jake wants to wait 'til marriage."

"Eh, he-he-he, HAH!" Estela thumped the table with her hand and threw back her head and laughed.

"Yeah, thanks for the support, really," I grumbled.

"Eh, he, he, no. No, Nessie. I understand, but ya know, you should understand Jake's point of view, too," she was still smiling, but her expression was considerate.

I pursed my lips.

"You love your family, no?" she asked.

"Well, yeah."

"And you love, Jakie?"

"Yep."

"Nessie, you need both_, claro_."

"I don't see how marriage is a necessary ingredient in that equation."

She shook her head in disbelief at my words. "You have a father that reads minds. Your mother used to be Jake's best friend. Rosalie wants to lob off Jake's furry tail, and to top it all, Jakey accepts them for you, even though his natural enemy is the vampire," she listed out.

I shrugged, "I never said it wasn't complicated."

"Jakie's just doing what's best for you in the long run."

I huffed.

"And if you think about it, really, it's the short run, considering that you've got most of eternity to dance and play."

I smiled at that thought.

"You know," she said slowly, "I say this despite the fact that I hoped you'd go for my brother."

I shrugged my shoulder. "I do like Nahuel."

"I know," she smiled at me. "And love cannot be forced—it's not worth it that way."

"Well, you know, there is one girl who might—" but my voice cut off because my nostrils flared.

The smell was a piney, oily scent mixed with a sweet tingle of dew. My body reacted, my sense of smell automatically following the trail of scent and leading my attention to the end of the bar.

Boar face still sat there, but now he was accompanied. A woman, white-skinned with long, shimmering, silver hair, leaned against the bar in front of him. His eyes flicked constantly between her abundantly visible cleavage and her sharply angled face, seeming incapable of settling on a choice between the two. At a first glance, she appeared to be not a day over thirty, but then a second glance showed the slightest of lines around her eyes, even as her skin was taught and firm at every inch.

But, then, of course it was. She was a vampire.

Though, not one I knew.

She took a single finger and ran it along the top of boar face's hairline, wiping away a trail of perspiration. Both Estela and I could see the resulting shiver.

And then, she hooked a filed nail through his belt loop and pulled him with her, as she gracefully made her way to the front door.

The man opened the door mechanically.

She stepped forward.

But not before turning in the direction of Estella and me.

Her black eyes held just a tinge of crimson as she winked at us. And then she and the boar face man disappeared into the dead of the night.

Estela and I sat still for only a moment.

And then I stood up.

* * *

So, the cliffies are back—which means things are rising fast! Updates shouldn't be long in a'comin.


	33. Chapter 33: Shoot the Chute

_Disclaimer:_ Waxing Crescent is mine. Twilight is not mine.

_Story to check out:_ Go check out Miss My Lion by Houroflead - she's great, and she also writes the Porcupine Embrace which is an AH Edward/Bella.

_Randomness:_ So, boo. I suck. Sorry about the forever wait on this update. I did finish all 90k of Nymph and the Waterfall, though (yay, me!) And I plan to finish however many thousand words Waxing Crescent will end up being - so no fears. I promise not to be one of _those_ authors who never finish their shit. Anyway, this chapter isn't the longest either, but it's the length it should be. Hopefully you all will be happy about the direction of the action - and forgive me for the cliffie. *hides*

* * *

Chapter 33: Shoot the Chute

* * *

_Her black eyes held just a tinge of crimson as she winked at us. And then she and the boar face man disappeared into the dead of the night._

_Estela and I sat still for only a moment._

_And then I stood up._

* * *

I immediately began moving to the doorway.

But Estela grabbed my arm.

"Nessie—_no_."

"Estela—she's going to drain him."

"She's a predator—he's her prey. It's the same thing Zafrina and her sisters do." She shrugged. "It's what _I _used to do."

_Humans aren't animals. Everyone is connected to someone else. Maybe they have a family. A love. A Jacob. A Luke. An Alyssa._

But I didn't speak these thoughts aloud, instead I argued to Estela, "But we saw him. He talked to us."

"And he was an _ass, _no? This was not Madre Teresa who walked out the doorway. In fact, he even smelled bad—I don't know why she chose him." Estela wrinkled her nose.

"He may be an ass, but maybe he has three kids—a young son who looks up to him, even if he only sees his dad on weekends since his parents divorced. Maybe, that man has a mother who loves him. Maybe, he a cat named Raul who expects his tuna-salmon breakfast tomorrow morning."

Estela stared at me like I was crazy.

I stared back. I wasn't going to let another human die in front of my eyes, so I looked her in the eyes and told her, "What I am saying is that I don't _care—_good human or bad_—_I'm going." I started to turn.

Estela grabbed my arm.

"What did you promise your family?"

I frowned at her.

"You promised you would not go off on your own, no?"

"Fine, then," I said, and I eyed her with the arrogance that can only come from drinking two liters of grain alcohol. "You'll have to come with me then, won't you?"

And with that I slipped out her arm, threw a handful of bills down on the table, and fled out the door.

Estela cursed and stomped.

But she followed.

* * *

By the time we walked outside, the silver-haired woman and the round-faced man were nowhere in sight. Their pair of scents disappeared in a northerly direction, down the darkened street and toward the river. The scent of blood, however, was already in the air. It would have been imperceptible to any human—but both Estella's and my nostrils flared at the fresh smell.

Estela spoke for me. "She knocked him unconscious, and then she ran with him," she concluded, taking a long assessing breath and scanning the area.

I started walking.

"It's too _late_, Nessie," she argued. "She'll already have had him." She began punching the number pad on her phone, probably letting Jake and Nahuel know "what a brat Nessie was being."

But I was not stopping. A single image was flashing through my head. Alyssa in the clearing in the woods. Alyssa in the lighthouse. Alyssa teetering on the edge of the cliff. The slowed erratic beat of Alyssa's heart until it finally stopped. The tears and anguish of Alyssa's family—and friends. The expressions on the faces of my friends. Death. Sadness. More death.

But I had a chance to stop a death now. To stop a murder.

I followed the scent. I heard the clicking of Estela's heels behind me as I followed the scent trail. I ran swiftly, passing brick warehouse after brick warehouse—all of the buildings either windowless or shuttered. When I reached the boardwalk, I paused. My gaze swept along the docks, looking for any signs of movement.

Nothing.

Behind me Estela's heels clicked impatiently.

I ignored her and hopped over the concrete wall and down onto the muddy bank below, crunching a long forgotten soda can as I landed.

Estela followed with a groan.

"She's gone—en el _rió_!" Estela spat, angrily pointing at the sweeping body of water in front of us, and then when I paid her no heed, she started to stomp and swear in Spanish. _"No hay ninguna razón que estamos aquí. Esto es bien loco—y ahora… ¡estamos en la mierda! ¿Qué chévere, no?" _she droned sarcastically.

"She didn't take him in the river, Estela."

Estela turned to face me, clearly ready to continue the tirade.

Instead, her eyes popped.

Her eyes popped, because in front of us stood a large circular iron grate, rusted and brined from its long stand along the river. Behind the grate, quite obviously, was a long, murky tunnel, extending at least one-hundred yards back underneath the city. At its terminus, it split along two paths.

The scent of blood was fainter now—the man had stopped bleeding from whatever initial wound the silver-haired vampire had given him. The scent followed the trail to the left. The path was clear, so I tugged on the gate, causing it to creak and rumble as it swung out to open.

"Eh, no—e'stop, Nessie. This is no good," Estela insisted.

"I'm going after her. I already told you that."

"And a'whatcha gonna do when you find her? Fight eza vampire for her meal?"

I stopped at the mouth of the tunnel. I turned back to face my friend.

"I'll talk to her," I stated in total seriousness.

"_Talk_ to her?" Even tipsy Estela wasn't buying that one.

"Yes, I'll talk to her."

"And a'what exactly are you going to talk about?" Estela asked incredulously.

"Not hunting on Cullen family turf," I said decidedly. Hunting so close to an established coven was certainly bad manners.

Estela snorted. "That'za not gonna work, Nessie. The north ez nobody's 'turf.'"

"Wouldn't hurt to try," I replied dismissively as I began walking down the tunnel, carefully staying to the side of the sludge running down the bottom of the massive pipe. Whatever had puddled there smelled awful.

Behind me I heard more cursing in Spanish.

But then familiar sound of clicking heels matched my pace—like I knew it would.

"Nessie, she could have a coven, herself. We should leave them be."

"They have no reason to hurt us."

"They have no reason _not_ to hurt us. They won't be serving tea and crumpets, no? Normal vampires don't just go walking down sewer pipes for fun, no?"

"Mm-hmm," I answered noncommittally, turning at the fork to the left.

But Estela wasn't giving up. "Why not wait for Jakie and Nahuelito?"

I spun on my heel, glaring at her. "I'm not waiting on Jake," I growled.

Estela pursed her lips, seeming to shrink back slightly at my coldness, before throwing her hands up in the air. "Ay, fine, Nessie! Let's find your lady vampire and have the chat, and then we'll go home, fine?"

I didn't respond but continued down the tunnel, increasing my speed as the tunnel seemed to continue endlessly on, though I could see another end point in the distance. I had to avoid fallen stones and bricks and pot holes as I ran. Liquid also dripped on me at random as I ran—the condensation forming into drops on the curved ceiling.

When I reached the final terminus, I turned again, braced for anything—but instead…

It was a dead end.

And the silver-haired vampire was nowhere in sight. No sounds. Nothing.

The scent of blood, however, seemed to explode around us.

"She bit him," I whispered aloud.

I heard of murmur of assent from Estela behind me. Her face was wary.

"But where…?" I trailed looking for the possible exit.

And then I saw it, at least fifteen feet in the air above us.

An open air vent.

The scent of blood flowed out of it.

"Eh, no—don't even think—" Estela began to whine.

But she was cut off by my jump. I easily leapt to the vent and balanced myself on the edge. When I peered into it, I saw that it went straight for about five feet and then curved at a downward angle—it was a chute.

"It's a chute," I told her.

"Come back down, Nessie!" she cried from below.

I rolled my eyes. "We've come this far," I argued.

She stared back at me.

"Fine, call Nahuel and Jake if it'll make you feel better," I growled, frustrated.

Estela lifted her phone as if to dial, but then she stopped and blinked. "No service," she announced.

I shrugged.

She gave me a warning look.

I ignored it and edged farther into the shaft.

I heard Estela's sigh from down below and then a thump as she padded onto the ledge behind me and squeezed into the air shaft.

"You ready?" I asked as I put my legs over the edge.

"Nessie, eh no." She shook her head, looking unnerved at the steep incline.

"It's a slide, Estela! When's the last time you got to go down a slide?" I urged with tipsy enthusiasm.

"Estela doesn't _slide_," she said pointedly.

"Well, there's no day like today, right?"

She gave me an exasperated roll of the eyes.

And then I pushed off, sliding down the long shoot.

Behind me, I heard Estela push off, too.

And we slid down the chute.

I found myself being surprised at the length of chute, and even more surprised as I gained speed.

Faster and faster.

The scent of blood growing.

And then out of nowhere.

A new smell.

Not dewy.

I tried to dig my heels in, slowing myself, but Estela smacked into me from behind. Her legs smashed into my back and propelled me down and then out of the chute.

And into a dark and steamy room with boilers and gauges and pipes everywhere.

The boar faced man lay dead in the corner, his face ashen. He had been drained.

And standing in the center of the room was the silver-haired vamp.

At her side, Olivier.

"How nice of you ladies to finally join us," he said.

And then the both of them leapt at us.

* * *

...

So, next chappie should be up sooooon, now that I'm updatin' again.


	34. Chapter 34: Water and Sacrifice

_Disclaimer: _Twilight is Stephenie Meyers... not mine. So don't sue me and all of that.

_What You Should Be Reading: _For something ridiculously fun, funny, and speedily updating (daily or every other day), go read _EARTHQUAKE!_ by Thallium81. It's like Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft meets genius - I dunno. Just read it. There's virgin sacrifice and a large and amusing jaguar, so you have no reason not to. Also, not that she needs the pimpin' (heh), but I'm now attacking the commas of _Wide Awake_ for AngstGoddess003, whose latest chaps can be found at http(dot)//angstgoddess003(dot)livejournal(dot)com. And I forgive her for spelling my pen name wrong, even as I shake my head.

_Author's Note:_ So, love me, because I worked my tail off to get this chapter out. And don't be surprised that there's another cliffie at the end. There are two-three more chapters left after this one - and the final bit is mostly all written, so yay! and cry... There's quite a bit of slang in here, and its explained in the end notes at the bottom.

It's also a bit violent, too. I mean vampires fighting is sorta violent. So yeah...

* * *

Chapter 34: Water and Sacrifice

* * *

_And standing in the center of the room was the silver-haired vamp._

_At her side, Olivier._

_"How nice of you ladies to finally join us," he said._

_And then the both of them leapt at us._

* * *

The silver-haired vamp lunged for Estela, while Olivier flew at me.

I dodged, shooting out to the left, ducking behind one of the boilers and flying behind a row of foot-wide insulated pipes.

Olivier's fingers missed me by almost nothing—the sharp tips of his finger nails snatched at me from less than a hair's breadth away.

Estela was wrestling with the female vampire, but she was fighting a losing battle—the vampire's teeth too close to her neck for my comfort. She needed me. I flew out from behind the other side of the boiler and lunged at them. I managed to kick old bitch in the jaw, as I wrested Estela free from her grasp. Estela spun out and flew again at the female—slamming her into the stone wall and sending concrete and brick and dust flying.

Swinging in from behind, Olivier caught my arm—but Estela knocked it free, sending him reeling backwards.

But Olivier found his footing, straightening and then sinking into a crouch in front of us. The old bitch joined him.

And Estela and I were both backed into a corner.

Old bitch looked pissed, but Olivier's eyes sparkled. He was enjoying every second of this.

I grasped Estela's hand in my own.

_When they move, we'll dodge at my call—okay?_

Estella gave a subtle nod.

And yet Olivier's all-seeing eyes missed none of the exchange. He was the first to break the tense silence. "How very pleasant to see you again, Renesmee—and most charming, you brought a friend." He loftily waved a hand in the direction of Estela, while smirking arrogantly at me.

I stared frostily back at him.

"As charming as ever," he murmured with thick sarcasm. "And of course, I brought a friend, too—Bernadette, or Bernie as I prefer to call her, is an old friend of mine." He waved a hand out to "Bernie," who glowered at Estela and me—between her tryst with the wall and the knock to her jaw, she had taken the worst blows so far.

In fact, my knuckles were still smarting.

Olivier turned to face Estela, and then flicked his eyes over to me. When neither Estela nor I spoke, Olivier continued, "Well, perhaps, introductions would be naught more than a superfluous banality, since I am informed of your name after all—_Estela,_" he purred out her name with more mocking sarcasm. "And you must know that I am called Olivier." He took a short bow.

Estela's wild eyes flicked over to mine. Her face said one thing: _he's a loco._

I squeezed her hand tighter. _Don't let him provoke you. You watch Bernie__—_and I'll watch Olivier.

Olivier watched us closely. "If you're planning on playing any tricks, please desist in your efforts, _mesdemoiselles_. Any little games that you could play won't work here_—_and besides, such manipulations would be rude by any account," he added, casually polishing his finger nails against the cuff in his wool coat.

At his side, Bernie sniffed, impatient and obviously bored with Olivier's antics. Her impatience put me at greater unease_—_what was she impatient for?

Estela spoke carefully, "Our friends and family are on their way_. _Four versus two, not good odds, no?"

Olivier gave her a wide smile, showing off his perfectly aligned white teeth, and then he turned to Bernie. "Dearest Bernie, do you have the time?" he asked pleasantly.

Bernie gave him a mocking smile in return. "Why should I give you the time, if you know it already?" she crooned with a hint of irritation.

Olivier waved his hand at her dismissively. He seemed to wait a moment, his head bobbing slightly from side to the side as he seemed to be counting, and then he held up three fingers, two fingers, a single finger, and finally just a fist_—_and out of nowhere a horn-like sound erupted from some distant location. It sounded like it came from many rooms over, but then it drew closer and closer, and a deep whooshing sound seemed to push through one of the larger pipes, and a guttural pumping chomped on the far side of the room. I saw the hands on several of the gauges jump. The whispering rushing of liquid echoed from the surrounding air vents. All of these sounds unnerved Estela and me, but Olivier sat in total ease, hand gestures following the chain of noises in perfect sync, like he was conducting an orchestra.

When he spoke again, it was with terrible delight. "That, _mes belles filles_, was the sound of your scents being washed out and into the river. The pipes flush every morning at 2:00:00 hours, and today was no exception."

Estela gasped. I tensed, clutching her hand more tightly.

_You messaged them. Did you tell them where we were going?_

Estela didn't move.

Bad sign.

"Now that all of this lovely yet vexatious posturing is behind us, I'm all for dispensing with further ceremony and speaking forthrightly. Renesmee, my dear, you have behaved rather discourteously since our first meeting_—_"

"_—_you bit me and killed my friend," I spat, unable to hold my tongue any longer.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk, and now we're interrupting, too? And in truth, Renesmee, I was quite pleased to see you fully recovered. I did send flowers, after all."

A hiss escaped my throat.

"And as for your friend..." he trailed. "Well, I think we both know that you deserved that. After all, such an attachment to humans is assuredly unnatural. After all, it's what led you here." He pursed his lips as if upset. "Too, too easy, and here Bernie was worried that no one could fall for such a stupid ploy, but you see, Renesmee dearest, you are fantastically easy to read."

And then he turned to Estela. "And she dragged you here, too, and you accompanied her without a thought_—_a good friend. Well, Estela, as I said before, a friend of Renesmee's is a friend of mine..." he trailed off suggestively.

His tone caused the hairs on the back of my neck to prickle. Both Estela and I sank instinctively deeper into our defensive crouches.

Olivier raised his brows, smirking. "And for pity's sake, cease with the show of force. This really isn't the time for comedy hour. This is all very simple. We," he motioned between him and Bernie, "are faster, stronger, and venomous. You cannot win a fight, so let's avoid it, shall we?"

And then as if responding to an unseen signal, both Olivier and Bernie slammed into us, pinning the both of us into the stonework.

Olivier's cloying breath feathered across my face.

"Your absence pained me," he murmured less than sweetly as his red eyes met my eyes and his body flattened mine against the wall.

"Leave her alone!" Estela yelled angrily, even as Bernie pinned her wrists, and I couldn't help but notice that though stronger, Bernie had a much harder time constraining Estela than Olivier had to constrain me.

She could get away.

"Let her go," I insisted, looking pleadingly from Olivier to Estela.

"No!" Estela screamed before anyone could reply.

Olivier and Bernie both laughed.

"Mon Olivier, how funny? And I had thought it impossible, but it would appear, you have won our petit wager..." Bernie put on a fake pout.

"So self-sacrificing, the both of you. It's tediously predictable, really," Olivier droned blandly.

"Just let her go," I insisted.

"Now, Renesmee, do you recall the last time I _ignored_ a friend of yours? You pilfered my mobile, gave it to your friend on the sly, and then tried to abandon me_—_that ended rather poorly, wouldn't you agree?" he taunted.

"Please, just let Estela go. She had nothing to do with this, and it's different now. _She's_ here." I threw a look in Bernie's direction.

"Yes, she is," Olivier acknowledged. "But then we must consider that your friend this time around isn't a weak little human either, is she? Moreover, your foolish acts of treachery in our recent past have hurt your credibility with me, my dear girl. You see, I really don't _trust_ you." His tone ended in menace.

"She had_—_"

But he cut me off. "_—_neither of you are leaving. In fact..." he glanced over at Bernie. "I think the _both _of you will be staying her for a while."

Apparently, this was not planned, because Bernie hissed.

"Hush now, Bernie," Olivier began.

But Bernie was not to be shushed. "And how are we in supposed to hunt with the both of them here? _J'ai mon voyage! _No! No more 'new plans.' _Déguidine_! We'll kill one of them, and then you can play with your _petit chum de fille—_no more of these _games_."

"Oh, Bernie. No need to resort to dramatics. And you just had your _souper_, too," he spared a glance for the corpse in the corner. "So why the irascibility, _ma Bernadette_?

"Don't play _l'insignifiant, _Olivier," Bernie hissed.

"Oh, how you underestimate me. It pains me, you know?"

Bernie arched a high brow at him.

"All I have to do is bite one of them," he said with leisure. "We'll have to suck the nasty stuff out of course, but I'm sure it will entice the other to behave_—_" Olivier's voice cut off, because both Estela and I had begun thrashing in our captors' arms.

Olivier's strength easily kept me pinned, but I could felt his control weaken slightly when I assaulted his mind with images. Blackness and then flashes of light. Corpses illuminated. Melting in fire. A great charring conflagration. And then ashes blowing away, only to burn again_—_

The sensation of Olivier's teeth at my neck cut me off.

I heard Estela scream.

I wanted to jerk and see her, but if I moved_—_Olivier's teeth_—_

"Ever the ungovernable picture show, aren't you?" Olivier muttered against my neck.

I had to stop myself from taking a snap at the cold, marble skin of his exposed throat. He would feel it if I even dared to try, and his jaws would assuredly kill me first.

"Estela, is she...?"

"I'm okay, Nessie," I heard Estela growl.

I heard Bernie's cackle.

Estela was not _okay_. Neither of us were _okay_. And it was my fault. My idiotic, foolhardy, and guilt-induced fault.

Again.

Olivier took a long breath against my neck. He growled. "Will you never not smell foul when we finally meet? I'm really going to have to do something about that dog, won't I?"

I stiffened in his arms.

He felt it.

"Time for a bath, I think, and bring dearest Estela, Bernie," Olivier started to pull on my arm.

I resisted.

He let his head roll to the side as he eyed me in disbelief. "You would think you were trying to get me to kill you," he groaned with exaggerated frustration.

"Now," he said firmly. "Let's go." He pulled on my arm, and this time I let him pull me forward. I heard the sounds of Estela and Bernie's footsteps tailing behind us. Olivier led me down a long brick corridor, with multiple doors lining the sides. He opened a battered wood door at the end of the hall and pushed me inside. This room, unlike the former, showed signs of being from a different era. Permanently-capped old bibcock pipes lined the walls, the salt-glazed vitrified clay looking worn and even cracked on half of them. It was clear that the room was no longer in use. The only remotely functional-looking device was a single thin pipe on the west wall with a red spicket at its center. Someone had chalked "potable" onto the bricks beside it.

Olivier dragged me up to the pipe.

"Don't forget to wash behind your ears," he clucked warningly.

And then he turned on the water.

It came out in a blast, hitting the side of my head_—_cold but not icy_—_not that I cared. In a strange way, the water was refreshing, clearing my head of any previous fog. And yet, it only made me aware of new problems, like the positions of Olivier's hands on my body. One was fisted in my hair, keeping me in the spray of water, but the other sat lower, his thumb hooked on the curve of my hip bone, while his index finger sat much further down.

And then he moved_—_and because he pushed my face into the water, I couldn't see, but his hand caught the bottom of dress and yanked it upward, smashing it against my breast as he pushed me into the water again.

I struggled in his grasp.

And behind me, I heard the sounds of Estela's shrieking as well.

"Oh, shut up," Olivier barked, teeth once again threatening at the skin on my throat.

My body stilled, but my breathing remained rampant.

"Did you really think I would let the smell of mutt linger _under_ your dress? It's disgusting."

"Don't touch me," I growled.

"Sorry," he cooed_—_though it wasn't an apology, because he pushed me into the brick wall again, still holding my dress up, and the lower half of him pushing into me_—_hard. I tried to jerk my head to the side, but his mouth caught mine, and I found the old nightmare repeating itself_—_but this time it was worse. His lips moved furiously against mine. The saccharine taste of cold venom flooding my senses, only to be bested by Olivier's hand grabbing between my legs, and then his tongue forcing in between my lips, bruising and iron-hard. I found myself cringing at the pain of it.

Somewhere in the room, I heard Estela yelling. But my mind failed to sort out the words.

But something that Estela said caught Olivier's attention.

His lips broke from mine.

And he turned with a flourish, finally letting the edge of my dress fall. I furiously smoothed down the fabric.

"Just e'stop! I'll do whatever you want. I'm not some young innocent. I know what I'm doing_—_I can make it... nice," she finished slowly.

It took a minute for the words to process in my head.

And then I was the one shrieking.

Olivier clamped a hand over my mouth, causing me to choke on the sudden lack of oxygen.

"Bernie," he said, nodding her over.

Bernie let go of Estela and came to grab me. She smirked at Olivier as she approached, shaking her head slightly.

Olivier turned to Estela. "Please, get in the water," he ordered coolly.

Estela stepped into the rush of water, leaning her head back and letting the water trail down through her hair, while she more than obviously pressed her breasts out.

And then it hit me.

And my stomach flipped.

She was really going to do it.

Fucking entice him.

And she was doing it for me.

"Estela, NO!" I yelled, pushing on Bernie's grip.

Olivier turned to Bernie, ignoring me. "Be a doll and take her outside, would you, Bernie?"

I flailed in her arms, but it accomplished nothing.

I could only look into Estela's eyes.

Still wild and beautiful.

And utterly fearless.

And yet_—_begging.

All my fault.

And the next thing I knew I was thrown out of the room and rolling across the bricks. I heard the click of the door behind me, and then a heel of a shoe pressing into my back before I could stand.

"Now lay quiet, and be a _bonne fille_," Bernie sang.

"No," I hissed.

"_Fantastique_," she muttered dryly.

And then she cracked my head against the stone.

I felt a splitting pain.

And then nothing.

* * *

End notes:

French and Quebecois Slang  
1. _Mes belles filles = my beautiful girls  
2. J'ai mon voyage! = _I'm fed up (Quebecois)  
_3. Déguidine_! = Hurry up!  
4. _Petit chum de fille = _little female friend  
5. _Souper = _dinner  
6. _Insignifiant = _stupid [person]  
7. _Bonne fille = _good girl

***So, the next chapter should be out in a timely fashion, but obviously may take longer than this update to get out, cuz its the climax, and I want to get it RIGHT. However, rest assured that I'm working steadily. :-)


	35. Chapter 35: Resistance and Reminiscence

_Disclaimer: _Twilight is Stephenie Meyers... not mine. So don't sue me and all of that.

_What I've been reading:_ _Bonne Foi_ by Amethyst Jackson is delciously dark - also Vampire in the Basement by michellephants has my full attention - cuz I wanna know why Eddo has all the weird crap going on - and what's the mystery. I love a good mystery. So, check 'em out.

Once again, thank you for lovely reviews despite my insane cliffies.

Okay, so hopefully y'all won't hate me for the chapter below - I'm a bit nervous about the response to it, but it's how things were supposed to be, so let me know... And there are officially two more chaps after this.

* * *

Chapter 35: Resistance and Reminiscence

* * *

_"Now lay quiet, and be a bonne fille," Bernie sang._

_"No," I hissed._

_"Fantastique," she muttered dryly._

_And then she cracked my head against the stone._

_I felt a splitting pain._

_And then nothing._

* * *

Blackness and void.

A loud bang.

An aching pounding both from inside and out.

A ping and a smack, followed by a hyena shriek and the resounding echo of a lion roar.  
A hiss of steam.  
Pitter-patter and trickle water.  
A crunch and groan.  
Crumbling plunk-and-pink in the aftermath.

Wetness. A sliver of foggy grey.  
Darkening back to blackness.  
Wetness at my temple.  
Fingers crawling in the dark—seeking.  
My palm skidded along the stone floor: wetness on concrete, soupy grit.  
Until fingers met the skin on my face.  
No pain.

My eye lids parted.  
Murk and gray and blur.  
My vision was not clear.  
The room was not clear.  
Steam.  
Haze?  
A broken pipe, water everywhere—was disappearing through a drain in the center of the room.

And curved hexagons, like arrows.  
Grey silhouettes.  
Flying. Twisting. Leaping.  
Dueling like diving hawks.

The roars and shrieks again.  
My name being yelled.  
Once. Twice. Thrice.  
"Nessie! Nessie! Nessie!"  
A deep, caramel male voice.  
_Fuck.  
__It was still happening._

And then instinct and automation: I dodged white jaws and a whipping silver mane with a twist and slide. She followed me, but black hair and warm skin and teak eyes slammed her away into more hissing pipe work, and his teeth caught her shoulder.

She shrieked and turned on him.

Her teeth grazed his swinging forearm—and alarm swept through me.  
But then I saw the others.  
On her—collar, forearm. On him—just above the knee.  
A battle of bites.  
And Nahuel was unaffected.  
Small miracles. The venom.  
He was safe from that toxin at least.  
But I was not.

And yet we had to take her down before—

Sounds from down the brick hall.  
_Estela._  
A struggle. But no sound of…

_Where was Jake?_

There was no fourth body in the room—human or lupine.

Another shout from Nahuel.  
"_Estela_—go, Nessie! ESTELA! GO!"

And I was down the hall, breezing past door after door following the sounds to the origin. At the door, I halted, peering in through the small circular window to see Estela flipping through the air, the top part of her dress ripped, the top curves of her breasts burgeoning, and yet she was dancing and dodging with every ounce of skill.

Olivier lunged—and she had to dodge his assault.

I made to pull the door open, but the handle merely groaned and bent instead of pulling door open—the lock was connected to a pressurized lever which relied on a cast-iron wheel to unlock it.

I spun the wheel clockwise until I heard it click.  
A _whoosh_ sounded as I yanked open the pressurized door.

And then I was in the room, and then I was rolling on the floor.  
I had to, because Olivier sprang after me.  
An icy hand caught the bottom of my dress, a long white ribbon ripped away.

A tinkling of dislodged bells pinging off the walls.  
I evaded another swipe, spring to the right and running along the wall.  
Olivier, faster, gained on me.

But was cut off by Estela catching his arm.

A bite.  
The scent of venom leaking out of the wound.

Now that we both were here…  
But we had to avoid the venom.  
Catch him from the sides.  
Not unlike the wolves.

And I had my power.

So I jumped behind Olivier, my hand skirting his upper back.  
He retaliated by back-kicking me into the wall.  
But I had redirected his focus.

Estela was not where he thought she was.

It worked.  
She caught him again.  
A finger flew plunked into the bricks on the opposite wall.  
The ensuing growl and snarl seemed to shake the room.  
Estela barely evaded Olivier's jaws, but his hand foot caught her back and sent her smack into the far wall.

I rushed at him.  
But he sidestepped, dancing away.  
And then it seemed like he was going to charge me.

But there was another sound.  
A sound audible over the echoing fight down the hall.  
A familiar though distant creak and then a double pound and the soft screech of rubber against metal.

Olivier grinned. A wicked all-knowing grin.  
He faked like he was going to lunge.

But instead he punched a large pipe in the corner.  
Water exploded out, hammering the opposite wall.

And then Olivier was out the door.  
A quarter second spin of the wheel and then the click and lock.  
"Enjoy the water my little flowers," he cooed through the portal.  
And then another sound. A crack and a clanging.  
My mind registered it only as he Olivier disappeared.  
He had broken off the wheel outside.  
The door: three inches of pressurized metal.  
The whole room functioned as a tank.

We would have to break through.

"Nahuel's solo against los dos!," Estela screamed, throwing her body against the door.  
A ringing crack made the whole room shudder.  
The door bent.

But the water had reached our knees.  
Busting open the door was swiftly getting harder.  
I made the next attack.  
A deep groan and a deeper bend.

Water at our waists.

Estela threw herself off of the opposite wall, shooting like an arrow over the jet from the pipe and piercing the metal of the door—a shot fired from a cannon.  
The top of the door gave way under her force.  
Bent at a thirty-five degree angle.  
We needed more.

Water at our necks.

And we both pounded at the metal.  
Smashing with our fists until it bent more and more.

And then… it was enough.  
Estela leapt off my shoulders and into the hall.  
Sopping and weighed down, I kept at her heels.

And as I turned—I really heard it…

The slick swish of another body coming down the chute.  
And the smell: woodsy, musky, warm swept out from the vent.  
Not Nahuel.  
Olivier had not run because of Nahuel.  
The noise had been Jake.

_Jake.  
_Jake couldn't come down the vent as a wolf.  
He was too big as a wolf.  
He had to slide down as a _human_.

_And Olivier was waiting._

But then another shock.

Estela, in rounding the corner first, met with Bernie—Nahuel was trying to get at Olivier.

He was trying to get Olivier away from the vent, while watching his back.

Bernie bit Estela.  
Estela's mouth opened in a scream that didn't arrive.  
Bernie's teeth caught her upper thigh and sank in.  
I sprang.  
I leapt at the Bernie in the same sixteenth of a second that Nahuel did.  
I caught the vampire's legs at the same time that Nahuel caught her throat.  
I held.  
He ripped and tore.

Silver hair sailed across the room like an angry storm cloud.  
The marble body stayed in our hands.  
Estela lay breathing heavily, lifeless on the grimy brick floor.  
Wild eyes undead in their emptiness.  
Nahuel was already finding the outline of her wound.  
He was going to get it out.  
Estela would be saved.

Just—must—had to—_Olivier_.

Another sound.  
A human yell already fading into a howl—and I turned.  
As I leaped.  
As my heart blasted in pain.  
As the smell of blood fired in my nostrils.  
And fur and nails and snout erupted.

I bit into Olivier's neck but gained no purchase.  
But I did free Jake.  
A half second soon enough.

But I gained no purchase because Olivier jumped back, slamming both of us into the wall.  
In front of me—Jake was a wolf.  
But his back leg—bleeding.  
And the venom. _Fucking venom._

And there we were:  
Nahuel frantically trying to save his poisoned sister.  
Jake—the strongest of us—bleeding soundly from a poisonous gash in his hind leg in the corner.  
I was the only one left standing.  
Besides Olivier.

And Olivier turned on me, his hands grabbing my neck and trying to hold me steady as his teeth neared my throat. His eyes blazed. I moved to snap at him—but then his expression changed. His eyes seemed to burst from black to red to white, and then he ran—with me—a splashing, dead sprint down the rapidly flooding hall.

An outraged howl ricocheted down the hall after us.

And then we were at the end of the hall, around a corner, and at the end of the passageway, a ladder on the wall and an open hatch above us, and Olivier leaped.

But I threw my arms out—stopping the both of us from fitting through the three foot diameter above.  
And so we crashed to the floor instead.  
I prepared to fight—I expected him to repeat the scene from the lighthouse.

Instead he whispered an uncanny thing.  
"Just kiss me—and it will be over."  
I lifted my head up, my eyes blinking open in wary surprise—but there was no sign of attack.  
Just a steady black-eyed stare.  
Some strange desperation.  
But not the trickery I expected.

And I heard the words from down the hall.  
Estela's weak voice—telling them, "Fine, now go."

So, I kissed Olivier.  
Because I needed time.  
And because I couldn't beat him the normal way.  
I kissed him and filled his mind with heat and jungle and dark and balmy velvet—but then I felt him pulling away; he was starting to focus on running with us again, forcing us through the hatch, so I kissed him harder, pressing myself against him, and showing other images—a dark room with scarlet furnishing, a blazing fire, and candles everywhere.

But then I felt him shake his head slightly. "Mountains, ocean, cottage," he murmured against my lips—and unexpectedly, he said it not with menace but rather a nostalgic longing.

I complied, ever the more focused on the task as my eyes focused on the two shapes soundlessly sweeping down the passageway toward us.

I pushed my images as deep as they would go: a country cottage with a thatched roof and walls of uneven stones, a valley reborn in the spring with blades of grass still emerald bright, violet mountains with iced peaks slicing through low hanging cumuli, and against it all, the infinity of the cerulean ocean—and against me, I felt Olivier respond, kissing feverishly—I had to flinch slightly as his bottom teeth pressed down too roughly—and yet still there was no violence.

And then Nahuel and Jake stood directly behind us—their breathing and the smell of Jake's blood potent at the hall's end. I expected Olivier to jump—to attack—he knew they were there.

He pulled his face back and stared at me determinedly. "I would never have made it through that hatch with the both us." And he pressed his lips against my gaping expression a final time, and my eyes popped in shock.

In the next quarter second, Jake ripped his head off.

A sphere of white and black flying and sinking in the rising water.

I threw myself back, pressed into the wall—sobbing furiously, for whom or for what didn't seem to matter anymore—perhaps in shock—because the wrongness of everything wasn't forgotten. I became vaguely aware that Nahuel was talking, "…Estela…be okay, but…needs to get that gash cleaned… Carlisle …know… burn… not here… the whole system… need to move… !"

My head shot up.  
My eyes immediately looked to Jake.  
Jake hadn't phased.  
His leg.  
The wound.

I pressed my palm to his ear. _I love you. _He dropped his head, a weak nod, and then I crouched down to examine his leg.

"Does it chill?" I asked, staring at the wound.

Jake's russet snout shook from side to side.

"It burns?" I asked fearfully.

Another weak nod—and then a tremble.  
And more trembling.

I looked up at him in concern. "Jake, you shouldn't phase now—you'll heal faster if you—"

But then the lupine body shook even more furiously until the mass of fur and strength seemed to automatically retract into itself.

And once again, Jake stood in human form.  
He stared at me for a long second.  
"Ow," he whispered.  
"Jake, are you…?"  
I caught him before he could fall into the rising water.

I held him close, jumping easily to the next level.  
I barely noticed Estela and Nahuel following.  
They held heads and torsos in their arms.  
I didn't look at the faces.

Before we could even emerge from the public water works building above, my family burst into the room—exploding with questions and too many eager-to-help hands. I avoided them, looking for my grandfather and refusing to let go of Jake. I only released him when I felt Carlisle's gentle pull and soothing words.

The rest of the events didn't make sense to me—a weak Estela biting my arm—my blank stare as Carlisle injected my blood into Jake. Jasper and Alice retrieving the heads and bodies and smaller vampire bits from Nahuel and Estela. Something about Emmett taking a swim to fix the city's plumbing.

I didn't try to make sense of the events, because I had one focus: I was focused on Jake.

I released a long breath when his jagged breathing finally leveled out again.

My mom patted my arm, "He's going to be okay, Ness."

We drove home.  
My parents sat in the front, dad driving.  
Jake was stretched across my lap in the back of the car—still unconscious.

On the opposite river bank, I saw the fire raging.

The glow flickered across the glass windows.

And when I took a breath—sickening incense crammed the air.

***


	36. Chapter 36: Waxing Crescent, Waning Moon

__

_Disclaimer: _Twilight is Stephenie Meyers... not mine. So don't sue me and all of that.

_What I've Been Reading_: _Vampire in the Basement_ by Michellephants – the Cullens find a seriously weakened vampire (that it is Edward is a safe bet) and Bella get's to play Florence Nightingale. Next, _Tie Me Down to This World_ – is a lovely written Alice/Jasper story. They're both patients in the hospital at the same time and they talk through a vent in the wall. Alice has lost her memory due to a trauma… there are very clever tie-ins to Twilight for this one. If you like good writing, check this out.

_News_: I'm on the Temptation Twilight podcast this upcoming episode – so stay tuned.

Finally, sorry about the MIA. I had a series of tiny blocks, and then once I figured it out, I got busy—we've been installing a garden—which tires a person out like NOTHING, and then work has been insane. Anyway, this chapter is a return to standard WaxCr writing style—no more of me playing around, and then I'mma write you all something citrusy next chapter—and then there will be an epi. :-) Hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Chapter 36: Waxing Crescent, Waning Moon

* * *

I was sitting at Jake's bedside.

Waiting.

At some point I realized that the room was very noisy.

Closest in proximity, my father was lecturing me.

"...power or no power, _where_ in your right mind did you think you were a match for a full-fledged vampire?"

In the background, my family contradicted him and each other.

"Edward, she's going to make mistakes. She's so young." _Esme_.  
"Two minutes. TWO minutes, and we could have gotten in on the action... Why am I doomed to miss every single good fight?" _Emmett.  
_"Edward…" _Mom.  
_"These half-breeds—why—didn't—I—SEE?" _Alice_.  
"Well, at least Renesmee's fine. The mutt'll get over it." _Rosalie_.

Jasper stood in the corner, clearly trying to send out a wave of calm but seemingly failing to overcome the general excitement.

And my dad lectured on…

It occurred to me that dad must have realized that I wasn't even listening to him. Thus, he had to be lecturing me for his own just comforts.

His exasperated sigh in response to my thought told me that I was right.

I stood.

Jake did not need a pack of vampires squawking over his bed.

I left the room.

* * *

I opened the door to the Eastern bedroom to see Nahuel sitting by the window with the day's paper. In spite of his wounds, he looked well. On the opposite side of the room, Estela was lying back against a swath of pillows.

I lightly leapt onto the open side of the bed.

Estela laughed.

"Who's a'jumpin' in whose bed now?"

I shook my head at her. "You're sick, and yet you're still, well... _sick_."

She laughed, if a bit weaker than normal. "Well, unlike Sexy-Nessie, I possess a sense of humor, no?"

"If that's what you call it..."

"Hah! Ay, mi Nessie, you're glad our _bon aventure_ finished up okay, no?"

"I'm not sure that 'okay' is the word."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Jakey will be _buenísimo_."

"Jake is unconscious," I retorted. "And he's not the only person I'm worried about. I never asked you, did—?"

"Nothing horrid occurred, Nessie."

"Define horrid." I eyed her skeptically.

She waved her hand dismissively. "So when's Jakey going to a'wake up?"

"Carlisle says soon."

"You look eh… how to say… apprehensive? Shouldn't you be happy about Jakey being awake?"

"He's going to be pissed..."

"Ay, Nessie. No worries, _mi querida_. Men are sexy when they're mad, no?"

I paused to consider this.

And concluded that Estela possessed a great deal of untapped wisdom.

* * *

Soon enough, Estela had conked out and was snoring indelicately.

I turned to Nahuel. "I'm really sorry about what I put Estela through. I—"

"—Estela makes her own choices."

"Still, I—"

"You did not decide for my sister."

"But she almost died."

Nahuel's shoulders sagged, and he leaned far back into the couch, not staring at me or at anything.

"Nessie, we are not children, you know? You are not a human child. Human children are born into the world completely dependent on their parents—but we, hybrids, we can survive on our own almost immediately."

I grimaced at his words.

We did survive—but at the expense of our human mothers.

Mine was the exception.

Nahuel's... she had not been an exception.

Nahuel continued on. "I used to think we were monsters—worse than vampires, even—because vampires at least started out as human—but not we hybrid creatures. We began our lives as killers."

"But you don't think that anymore."

He smiled thoughtfully at me. "No, I don't—and it was meeting you and your parents that changed that."

I reached over and squeezed his hand.

_I'm glad.  
_  
He gave my hand a squeeze in return.

"I'm glad, too. But I do mean what I say. Just like Estela can take care of herself, you can take care of yourself."

I snorted. "I did almost get kidnapped by a vampire."

"He used your attachment to humans against you. Will you make the same mistake again?"

I frowned at him. "There's also the Volturi..."

"As a full-grown half-vampire, you can longer be called an immortal child. The threat is to your whole family—not you."

"My family sees that as a reason to stick together."

"And yet I wonder if they would let you fight?"

I tried to imagine convincing my dad that I could be involved in the battle.

"Probably not."

Nahuel nodded thoughtfully. "Vampires have fixed natures. You brought them great joy as a baby. They fought for you against the Volturi—not unlike the way in which many covens fought to protect the immortal children. I think it is natural for them to fear letting you go."

"Naturally annoying."

He shrugged. "It is their way."

"You think I should get away then?"

"I think that your childhood has run its course."

"So, I should go?"

Nahuel smirked at me. "Have you not already gone?"

I pursed my lips and stared thoughtfully at my friend.

Nahuel and Estela were both really on a roll today.

* * *

I spent the rest of the day at Jake's bedside.

Thankfully, most of it was spent in peace—but not all of it. My family could simply not stay away. Mom dragged dad out after each of two attempted lectures.

Emmett had done the unthinkable and abandoned his four ESPN channels for the evening news. This resulted in him bursting into my room, singing "First there was Mario—then there was Luigi—and now there's..."

"Emi?" I suggested.

Emmett wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

"Emmetto?" I offered again.

His mouth fell open, and he stared at me thoughtfully, before concluding, "Why… _yes_."

"Super."

"So, guess who was on the _news_?" Emmett asked delightedly.

Apparently, the "Montreal Sewage Mystery" was making front headlines. Half of the city had lost water pressure due to the day's incident. Emmett was still in the full swing of regaling his tale when Rosalie yanked him out of the room with a grimace on her face. I'm sure that Emmett being a sewer plumbing hero did not top of the resume for her husband.

Next in line, apparently, Alice came into the room at one point and eyed me reproachfully. When I asked her what the matter was, she pointed emphatically at my torso.

I looked down.

I realized I was wearing one of Jake's shirts.

I sniffed. Only Alice would consider fashion on such a day.

But then her eyes took on that hazy look…

And I was happy because she was no longer focused on my lack of hauteur.

But then she looked sad.

"What are you planning, Nessie?" she asked, eyeing my askance.

I shrugged.

It was all up in the air.

* * *

It was just past midnight when Jake finally awoke.

I had been sitting on the window sill in the corner of his room, doing nothing but watching the moon. I was wondering how, even with my enhanced eyesight, I still couldn't tell that the moon was just a rock—it still looked like it might have a face—a wrinkled eye, a sleepy smile. I thought these thoughts, and yet the moon was not close to full—just a sliver, an elegant waxing crescent. The escaping light kept flowing in and out of view as dark puffs obscured, fogged, hid, and then once again unveiled the silver arc, causing the entire valley to be flooded in its sterling glow.

I was sitting at the window when I saw Jake stir.

I had the window open, enjoying the icy breezes on my face. The breezes were ceasing to be breezes, however. It was growing readily apparent that a winter storm was moving in, and it was when a particularly harsh gust wrestled its way into room, causing the rocking chair to swing to and fro, that I saw Jake's eyelids flutter. He groaned irritably and then instinctively reached down to feel along his leg.

"Carlisle," I whispered aloud.

And in the next moment my grandfather, father, and mother flowed in through the doorway. Carlisle moved immediately to examine Jake.

Behind him, dad chuckled.

I looked at Jake to see him dazedly scowling up at my grandfather.

"Carlisle, I don't think werewolves find it comforting to awake to a vampire staring them in the face," dad offered.

"Ah, sorry, Jacob." Carlisle smiled ruefully, backing off slightly.

Jake's eyes met mine then. "Full vampires—Edward. Half-vampires aren't so bad." He grinned playfully—if still somewhat weakly—in my direction.

My father's smile left his face, and he frowned at Jake.

I grabbed Jake's hand. _Hey, how do you feel?_

"Like crap—and why aren't I poisoned?"

Carlisle stepped forward then, leaning over Jake again. "Mostly because of Nessie's blood—although rapid healing certainly helps."

"Nessie's _blood_?" Jake lurched forward in the bed, causing the frame to squeak in protest.

"It's no big deal, Jake." I sighed.

"Her blood clotted the venom in your system—it's harmless now," Carlisle explained.

"There's some special biological, genetic crap you're not telling me behind this, right?" Jake muttered, annoyed.

"I could try and explain it to you…"

Jake rolled his eyes. "That's okay, doc."

"I would like to take another sample though to run some additional tests. May I?" Carlisle held up a syringe.

Jake threw a hand up in the air. "I suppose this is the better way for you to take my blood, eh?"

"I suppose it is," Carlisle agreed with a chuckle as he easily slid the hypodermic needle into Jake's arm. We all seemed to watch silently as the blood collection tube swiftly filled with blood.

"Foulest smelling blood ever," dad muttered with an upturned nose.

"It's better than lizard blood," my mom offered, nudging Jake slightly in the arm.

"You tease, but you smell like fermented peaches—the lot of you," Jake grumbled.

Carlisle pulled the needle out of Jake's arm and covered the tiny hole with a cotton ball—not that it was necessary. Jake pulled the ball off in the next second to reveal a completely healed patch of skin.

"Astonishing," Carlisle murmured, shaking his head as he stared down at the spot. "Well, Jake, I'm going to run a few more tests, and in the meantime, you should continue to rest."

Jake nodded, and Carlisle gathered the tubes and his equipment and then headed out.

And then there was silence in the room.

_Awkward silence._

"Would it be alright if I spoke to Ness alone?" Brows raised, Jake looked meaningfully at mom.

"We still need to talk to her," dad stated with his standard parental-authority tone.

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"_Later_, Edward." My mom had him by the arm and began tugging him out of the room.

"Go ahead, you two. I promise you. It will be a _private_ conversation." Mom stared warningly at my father, who eyed her discontentedly. She gave a final push, and they were out the door, the door clicking shut behind them.

I didn't hesitate, then. I lifted up the corner of the blanket and slid into the warmth.

_Hey_, I greeted, looking softly into his eyes.

"You okay?" Jacob mouthed but didn't speak.

I nodded, snuggling closer to him.

"Estela?"

I nodded again.

He released a long sigh and leaned back, pushing the pillow up against the headboard for added comfort.

_You're not going to ask about Nahuel?_ I chided.

Jake smirked.

_Well, he's fine, too—just so you know._

And then there was silence, and now it was Jake that was staring out at the moon.

_So…_

Jake turned to me. "You expect me to be pissed?"

_Maybe…_

"Really, I'm mostly mad at myself."

_That's stupid._

"No, I don't care if we had a fight—me letting two girls wander off into the night and get drunk was stupid."

I frowned indignantly at him. _First of all, we're not exactly weak, little human girls. Second, you didn't know we were planning on getting drunk. Third, don't blame yourself._

"I could smell that Estela had the alcohol and blood—just like you could—I just didn't expect her to share…" he trailed off, returning his gaze to the moon.

_So, why didn't you follow?_

"Because I figured you could use to calm down, and also, I thought it would be…. _good_ for you to talk to Estela."

_It was actually… to talk to Estela, I mean—it was good._

"Until you followed crazy ass vampire lady."

_That's one way of putting it…_

"You should have waited for us to help."

I turned and eyed him carefully. _You know, Jake, no one else has said it that way._

"What way?"

_Like we should have saved him. They say we shouldn't have gone._

"Eh, that's 'cause they're vampires, Ness."

_Mom was a human. You'd think that'd make a difference in perspective. _

"She was _special_." Jake twirled a finger in the air as he said the word. "Your auntie blondielox wasn't too keen on Bella until after you popped out of her—and the rest of the family only went along with it because she made Edward suddenly tolerable."

_They care about humanity, Jake._

"In a way—but I don't think they would have done what you did."

_Alyssa._ I gave the image as an explanation.

"I know." He kissed the top of my head, and then he continued, "It's not that your family doesn't care about humans, Carlisle is a crazy saint in any form, but for the rest of them it's different—they have to hide from it, you know? Even your mom, she never really had any close friends in high school other than me—and while she'll miss Charlie—she's perfectly content where she's at. I doubt she'll ever befriend a human again."

I pushed my head deeper into the pillow. _Nahuel thinks I should leave._

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Eh, expects you to 'study abroad' with him and Estela, does he?"

I rolled my eyes. _Nooo… He thinks my parents will be incapable as seeing me as anything but a child until I force them to see otherwise._

"Well, Ness, you aren't full grown yet—_fuck_."

He cursed because I grabbed his hand and ran it down the length of my body.

"Very funny," he growled in a low voice.

_I am "full grown," though—for my "kind." Technically, we're weaned at birth. I am more than capable of taking care of myself._ _I may only have six human years—but I am six the way that my dad is 107—which is to say, humans definitions don't really apply._

"You really mean it, don't you?"

_Can I go with you—to Stanford?_

"I can't imagine a faster way to piss off Edward." Jake groaned.

_I sorta see this as inevitable. If it doesn't happen now, it will happen eventually._

"They wanted to wait until you were full grown, Ness."

_I'm no longer a baby—I'm not going to change much more—in fact, I think I need to "reach my majority" away from them. It will be easier—maybe, if I even do decide to live with them again, it will be as an equal and not as a lesser immortal._

"They'll always see you as their niece and daughter," Jake whispered.

_I can't spend eternity "under protection."_

"I'd like to think I can protect you," Jake grumbled.

_Heh, funny enough, I'm okay with that._

Jake gave me a very silly smile, and then he kissed me.

The resulting explosion to my request was expected, but nevertheless, not easy.

Even mom flipped.

"No."

"You're still a child."

"Absolutely not."

"Are you out of your mind? You just returned to us after almost dying!"

"You're not full-grown."

"This is about Jake, isn't it?"

"No."

"This is about grief over your friend?"

"Just no way."

"_No. No. No. NO."_

I grabbed each of their much colder hands. _Me, acting out over Alyssa. Me, groaning over dad's invading my thoughts. My desire to strike out on my own. My love for my parents. My love for Jake. Mom leaving her family, her mortality—everything for my father. Nahuel and his sisters supporting themselves from birth. Zafrina hunting—tall and brave and lethal. Jasper's weakness. My family's distance from humanity. Estela's sense of isolation. My own sense of isolation. The attachment to immortal children. Vampires as stones. Myself, like a flame. _

"Oh, Ness…" my mother trailed off. "Why didn't you tell us? You just needed to tell us if you needed more space," she pleaded.

"Dad knew."

My father stood staunch and silent with his arms crossed. I had hurt him.

"Honey, but we can work on that… Your dad can just—"

"Dad, could you stay out of my head, if you wanted to?"

"I could try."

"No, you couldn't. You love me—and it's your way."

"Your mom's shield—she could just shield me."

"No."

"Now, Nessie…"

"I will come back—and when I do, it will be different."

"We've only had you six short years." My mom looked ready to cry. Somehow, I don't think this had ever occurred to her—that I could leave. Nahuel was right—she became a vampire as a mother, and this was… hard.

"I've made my decision."

They were about to protest again, when Carlisle and Zafrina entered the room.

"She should go," Carlisle said simply.

My father gave his a frightening glare.

"The young one is wise," Zafrina added. "Do not underestimate her—that would be unwise."

For the first time, Mom looked decidedly unafraid of Zafrina. "Running headfirst into conflict with a dangerous vampire—that's wise?" my mother spat.

"Forgive me, I have interfered." Zafrina gave a short bow and took a step back.

My mother did not hide her answering growl.

And then Jake came in.

And it looked like both of my parents wanted to rip him limb from limb.

"This is your fault," my dad growled—and I darted in front of Jake, eyeing my father in alarm.

Jake stared calmly back at him. My mother paused at the scene, perhaps reminded of the time that she had leapt at Jake over my nickname...

Jake spoke slowly. "I want what's best for her."

"Hah!" dad scoffed.

"Read my mind, Edward. This is what she needs."

A moment of silence passed.

And then my father stormed out of the room.

My mother, after a sad glance in my direction, followed after him.

* * *

Two days later, Jake and I were on a plane to California.

* * *


	37. Chapter 37: a Marriage on Two Moons

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns the morning, noon, and "twilight." I'm a night owl with an addiction to fan fiction. Very different.

So, folks... I sigh and cry and simultaneously feel huber proud of myself. So, this is the end. I know I had mentioned an epilogue, but it turned out it made the most sense to add it in here... So, here's your final chappie.

* * *

Chapter 37: A Marriage on Two Moons

* * *

The move to Stanford occurred in a rush. Once the family had accepted the change in circumstance, the changes had shot forward at vampiric speed.

Jasper "talked to a guy," and suddenly I had the appropriate paperwork.

Esme found a new abode for Leah, Jake, Seth, and me—_four_ bedrooms—yes, dear ole dad insisted. Both Esme and Rosalie ordered furnishings and made appointments with contractors for the new "abode."

Rosalie kept muttering comments like "need to get that lint free kind—wouldn't want the dog hair to get on Renesmee."

Alice almost put Fashion Week on hold as she rushed both small and big label designers to make sure I was "properly dressed for California."

And then there was the tearful farewell. My dad made me promise to continue with the piano. My mother pressed a few personally selected books into my hand and kissed me earnestly. Estela gave me a goodbye kiss on the cheek that made Jake pull at his collar. An approving nod from Zafrina. A soft hug from Nahuel.

Tears. Sad smiles.

Jake and I walked hand in hand into the plane terminal. As I turned to give a final wave goodbye, I realized I was saying more than farewell to my family.

This was the last moment of my childhood—and it had vanished with a gesture.

* * *

The first few days were a mix of quick kisses and constant to-dos. I think I spent most of my waking hours signing for packages and pointing contractors upstairs or down. Then, I had to register for classes.

"You're taking Medieval Gender Studies, Organic Chemistry, Intensive Mandarin, Poetry and Poetics, and Congolese Dance?" Jake asked incredulously, staring down at my thin paper square.

I cracked my knuckles and smirked. "So?"

"Congolese Dance?"

"Oh." I nodded. "They have live drumming."

Jake laughed. "Nice, Ness."

And finally, once all the paperwork was completed, our new housemates required our attention. Leah delighted in having a feminine ear to comment on her analysis of dumbass frat boys, and Seth wanted Jake to update him on the entire "adventure" with Olivier over drinks at the corner bar, and then my family kept calling…

"Do you like your classes?"

"Alice saw you wondering in the park. You weren't alone, were you?"

"How's the weather?"

"Are you eating? Drinking? 'Drinking?'"

"How is Seth? Can I talk to Seth?"

"I just want to ask Leah about Charlie and Sue, if that's okay…"

So, Jake and I found time together when we could—and where we could. You would think that having an apartment with rooms on the same hall would do make us jump each other in the first instant—but no… strangely enough, the fact that they we had all the time in the world meant that for the first time, we took our time.

We took our time in little ways. We curled up on the couch in a funny pretzel and read together, exchanging errant kisses as the hours progressed. We met for lunch between classes. We drove to the woods and then ran, fleeing through the tangle of pine and red cedar and bramble until we emerged carefree in secluded valleys. We danced out onto the stone balcony overlooking the Bay, stepping and spinning and twirling with perfect grace but with no set pattern beneath the full moon light. We surprised Seth and Leah by cooking four dozen eggs for the breakfast. We made oddly shaped pancakes, too, flipping them high into the air. Occasionally Jake would snatch one out midflight and try to eat it, and then I'd steal it back and then our mouths would end up interlocked, hips pressed against the countertop, as we let the hash browns burn.

So there was no rush forward.

The chorus was lost in a lingering, _allegro_ refrain.

And at night, we would explore each other, searching out the steamiest corners and smoothest planes—finding every last bit: the silk and the coarse and the idiosyncratic.

Jake especially liked to let his fingers trickle down my back until I couldn't help but shiver and then giggle stupidly so that I had to shove him away because I couldn't hide my own weak ticklishness anymore. So, I would push him away, but he would pull back, and then the fakest of wrestling matches would ensue with me always emerging the victor. Jake would grin at me blissfully, his arms pinned above his head, my body pressing his down, and our frenzied breathing, loud and erratic.

We always forgot who had won what after that.

I guess we both did…

* * *

The words were spoken on a beach.

Jake and I had fled the city and driven out to a rural shore just before sunset. We walked hand in hand, not paying attention to much of anything. We merely kicked off our shoes and played tag with the rushing and retreating waves, dodging splashes. When we grew bored with the waves, we turned to the sand, shaping turrets, draw bridges, and moats—along with the occasional evil sea monster—guess what Jake named his?

_Dumbass joke_.

I smiled softly when Jake randomly sat down into a wind-shaped dune, pulling on my hand so that I would curl into his lap. We sat there for several minutes, drinking in the briny, tangy-sweet air.

Jake broke the quiet.

"Perfect," he whispered.

"The sunset?" I asked, still staring dreamily out to sea.

"Eh, sun's alright, but I meant you."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "Cheesy. Cheesy—Jake. It's just because you love me."

"Just because?" Jake rolled his eyes. "That's a pretty big 'just because.'"

"Okay, fine, it's because I've a fetching ass."

He laughed. "Uh, yeah—that too, but that's still not good enough."

"Not good enough?" I mocked.

He shook his head at me.

"I meant what I said the first time…" He ran his thumb across my lips, pulling my bottom lip down slightly as his hand pulled away.

"Perfect."

"Heh—and you're just trying to get in my pants, now," I teased.

But he gave me a funny look—a look funny enough to make my jaw drop loose.

"You changed your mind?" I eyed him in total surprise.

"I didn't change my mind…"

"So, you still want to get married—that's fine," I offered excitedly. "We can run to the courthouse—we'll probably have to pay some exorbitant fee, but no biggie, right? And we can put my parents on a webcam if we need to, because—"

"That wasn't what I meant."

I leaned back far as possible, unable to hide my disappointment. "I'm sorry—you're right. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I mean we have eternity so why…"

But then he yanked my chin, and his dark eyes stared at me.

"Hey, just listen to me, alright?"

_Fine._

"I meant everything I said before—but I do think..." Jake trailed off looking for the words.

I decided to fill them in for him.

"We're too horny to wait?" I teased playfully.

He laughed.

"I wanted to say that I'm—just—so completely, utterly, pathetically happy—and when I say that, I don't mean I'm happy like I got a microbrewery beer and a meat lover's extra large pizza for dinner-happy—but instead, I just... I don't know... I'm just glowing all the time, like a fucking idiot—but not in some dumb, love struck fool way—and it is contentment—yeah—but it's just..." he trailed off again and pursed his lips as he pushed a curl back behind my ear.

_Just what?_

"Perfect." He shrugged even as he grinned like a goof.

His little speech had one singular effect on me.

I jumped him.

I jumped him by pushing him back into the sand, swinging a leg around and flattening my body against his so that I felt the heaving in and out of his chest against my breasts—so that I felt it when he instantly hardened even through the fabric between my legs—so that I could grab hair and yank his mouth to mine. And then I felt the stubble of his chin scratch gently as he caught my bottom lip, and my tongue searched the upper outline of his mouth, and his nails poked into the flesh of my ass, even as his hips shifted and pushed me harder against him.

And his hand slid lower and his thumb dragged between my legs, which caused my eyesight to blur out of focus and a soft, whimpering gasp to escape my already open mouth.

I grabbed his neck—_But fuck Jake, I'm already wet..._

So he moved his hand again, but instead of pulling at fabric or searching out another kiss, he leapt to stand, pulling me along with him—and I tried to protest, but instead, he threw me over his shoulder, running toward the car.

"What the fuck?" I demanded.

"We're on a public beach," Jake answered nonchalantly.

"An _EMPTY_ public beach."

"You know, I'd bet five bucks you were _conceived_ on a beach."

_Mental EW—Jake, you would pull that shit._

"Only five bucks?" I said aloud.

Jake opened the car door and set me down.

"Fine, ten—and do you still want me to take you on a beach?"

"_Take me_?" I gave a snort.

Jake grinned, waved a hand dismissively, and slid into the driver's seat.

"It's a long drive back home—even with the way that you drive," I observed.

"I told you I'd make love to you in a bed."

"You're making love to me?"

"In a bed."

"Does a hotel count?"

Jake pursed his lips, smirking. "I suppose..."

I made him turn into the fancy named resort two miles up the road.

And for once, he didn't complain about being excessive with money.

* * *

Jake tried to insist on carrying me "over the threshold"—but instead I yanked him into the room.

And he tried to catch me.

So I pushed him.

And he pushed back—which slammed me into the wall.

There was a reverberating crackle.

We paused for a minute, hearing the impact settle through the building...

"Oops," we both said at the same time.

And then we laughed.

"Bed," Jake insisted.

I rolled my shoulders back as I let him pull me along. "I suppose the building would appreciate our concern..."

And then Jake threw me on the bed.

I hadn't been wearing much to begin with: bikini, capris, long button down...

But then they were off.

And I shredded Jake's clothes.

I pulled him to me, and then we were flesh against flesh—hot and heat—and eagerness with adventure and _to hell_ with all innocence—and then, just because, Jake stopped me. He pulled my hand up—the hand with the ring—and he kissed the leather threads—he kissed them and then he kissed each of my finger tips, long and slowly and staring at me from beneath coal-black eyelashes.

"I meant what I said before," he whispered.

_Meant what of what you said before?_

He looked at me intensely. "Me making love to you is me marrying you—this is it. I'll never be with anyone else. Just you."

And in response, I just breathed—and my peripheral vision died away—I only saw him. Jacob. And there was some part of me that wanted to diffuse this tension—this wild sense of discomfort—of the unordinary—to make a dismissive joke—some part that feared I wasn't ready—but then there was another part—a deeper part that seemed to have clicked open. Unlocked by the long lost key—and that was the part that trailed her fingers down Jake's jaw—that responded with "I'll never be with anyone else. Just you." The part that kissed each of Jake's fingers—and slid fingers along hip bone and down thigh. The part that whispered I love you and received it in turn and soared away with the moment that he grinned in blissful relief—as if he'd somehow feared I could even possibly consider otherwise—that this could be "just sex" or "simple fucking" or a game.

And then I pulled him toward me—pulled him by cock—aiming in a way—but then he pulled back.

"We just can't..." he trailed off in disbelief.

"But I need you."

_Like nothing ever before._

And Jake nodded, but he pulled my hand away.

And kissed me with teeth scraping and tongue slick and wet and silky, and then down below, his finger slipped between and in—and I moaned and pulled him tighter, and we kissed like we wrestled with tug and pull and jab and bite—and when his finger left me and his mouth left me, and I only held his eyes...

A condom. Unwrapped. He entered me from above.

And we both gasped.

From shock. From connection. From need.

And I bit into his shoulder.

Not having meant to.

And then we were bleeding together—and I moaned and swore and whispered nonsensical poetry with _fuck fuck fuck_ thrown in as the chorus after each stanza... and Jake's eyes remained tight and focused and yet his movements seemed loose and wild like some stampeding herd or like children lost to hysterical revelry—and together we snapped back and forth but with perfect limber and arc like a pendulum or rubber band...

And then I pushed—rolled him over because I wanted to see him—I wanted to look at him in the approaching moment...

We just looked.

Me moving up and down, rolling my hips.

Him pinching a pink tip and finger nails clipping my ass.

And I didn't just look.

But I also shared: every ounce of pleasure he gave me—the way he felt unabbreviated and complete inside of me.

_Incredible._

_Filled._

_Perfect._

And then he lifted his back as he pulled me down to him, and his lips caught mine as our eyes stayed lock, and he gave a final quake.

A long breath of release.

A soft kiss.

I was bound in marriage.

* * *

My second marriage was quite different.

There was all of the hoopla for starters. I didn't pay any attention to it. Neither did Jake. We had given Alice and Esme and Estela a few simple requests: beach, good weather, intimate family and friends only, and no fucking orchids.

And there were none.

Instead the thick, floral perfume that swallowed up the room consisted of a seamless blend of roses, hyacinth, lilac and a tinge of magnolia—that final scent made me smile even as my eyes watered.

But it made _sense_.

My father's cool arm clasped my thin linen white sleeve, and we were lightly, elegantly marching down the aisle. His amber eyes were both wistful and slightly annoyed. I kept detecting an eye roll as he kept in sync with my thoughts. My thoughts were focused on Jake, and if I could have yelled, I would have told Jake that he looked hot as hell—because _he did_, and specifically I wanted to yell out that I was really glad that my teeth weren't venomous and that he healed quickly, because he looked good enough to eat, and some serious nibbling and biting was in order.

My father gripped my arm unnecessarily tightly.

I smiled up at him.

He gave me a warning look.

And then I couldn't help it: I wasn't a blushing bride, I was a laughing one.

So I had to restrain myself to sneaking peaks at Jake, acting the demure young maid as we made our final march, so as to placate my father for another seventy-five seconds…

Dad growled under his breath again.

_Yeah, yeah, yeah… _

Already waiting at the end of the aisle where Estella, Leah, Embry, and Quil—Jake's niece was the flower girl, along with Sam and Emily's little boy as the ring bearer. They were pretty darn cute.

_Aw, babies… _

But then the march was over.

And Jake was holding out his arm, a smirk evident on his face, while my father glowered at him.

Not funny.

_Dad, mom said that if you don't put my hand in his, she's not going to talk to you for a century. _

And then I saw my father flick a glance at my mother, who wore a rather stern look, and he sighed for only a second before hesitantly dropping my hand into Jacob's.

And then Jacob's hand held mine, and our eyes were locked in a seditious, mutually profane gaze, even as we gracefully ascended the stairs to stand in front of the assemblage. The minister-man (or maybe he was a shaman? I didn't actually know what a multi-faith minister entailed…) started the ceremony, droning on about love conquering all, whether it be class or beauty or religion or heritage.

The man was actually pretty close to the truth.

Which was probably why the entire congregation kept having to suppress smirks, especially when he decided to illustrate his points using examples, and discussed how his wife was a vegetarian but he loved steak…

But then the droning ended.

And Jake and I stared into each other's eyes, ready to speak the words aloud.

We'd already agreed on our vows and had them memorized.

We would say them together.

But of course I intended on adding some side commentary for Jake and I alone…

Well, except for my nosing father, but that couldn't be helped.

Jake spoke first, but my voice joined his.

"I vow to be yours."

_But I am you, and you are I—a phrase that English grammar even fails to accept properly. Whatever, right? We are tying the knot. Tto add anyone else… any subtraction from the whole renders the circle a broken line. _

_Oh, yeah, and if you ever think about cheating on me, I'll cut you'll balls off with teeth. _

Jake had to avoid an eye roll, but he was smiling at me, too.

"I vow to trust you with my mind and my heart."

_Completely, because you're my best friend. _

"I vow to spend the rest of my life with you."

_A life that has no end. A life that may exceed the lives of our children. A life that will exceed your father and your brothers. This means you'll have to put up with dad 'til the Great Watch makes its final tick. And don't forget about Rose, too. Maybe you'll compose a lexicon of dumb blond jokes in all that time you'll have… _

"When tragedy or danger strikes, I am always at your side."

_And don't forget the copious amount of cheese, because love conquers all, right? _

"I vow to love you completely and perfectly."

_HA, right? As if there could be any other way to exist._

"I love you," he whispered, and even though he said it so very softly, I'm sure that most of the room could hear.

And then it was ring time.

And Jake slid the leather band off of my finger and easily unwound the threads, and then Jake handed me a string, so that I could tie it around his finger, and then he tied the new string around mine. We were both bound—in the public way. Eventually the leather would deteriorate and fade—but then we would have to add new cord to strengthen it the band, and when that cord weakened, we would have to find another—always repairing and replacing and remembering.

Some more words…

And then there was the kiss—simple and sweet and natural.

And we were walking down the aisle, hand in hand.

No strange vampires interfering. No other possible love interests. No freaky parentalness.

(_Although dad looked slightly put out over the affair._)

Married—body and soul and paperwork.

* * *

The reception was... interesting.

Like as in Estela tried to make a game out of how many werewolves she could kiss.

When she approached Sam, I thought Emily might leap at her.

Not good.

But then Estela smacked one on Leah instead—which was pretty funny.

Because Leah didn't notice what was coming until it was too late.

Because she had been focused on Nahuel.

I think the words "I teach Native Mezo-American History" were those that did the trick—also the fact that he was neither a vampire nor a "dumb ass frat boy."

Nahuel also seemed pleased by Leah's company...

This was obvious to all, so Jake felt the need to be "brotherly."

"Just watch the venom, Leah," he yelled through a mouth of wedding cake.

Leah growled back at him.

And then Jake turned to me.

"I'm really glad you don't have venom," he informed me earnestly. Jake had drunk at least four bottles of wine on his own. I was beginning to realize that the alcohol was actually starting to have the rare effect.

"Yeah... me too, Jake." I patted my husband on the cheek.

"Ness, do you think the baby will—?"

But I cut him off with a slap over the mouth.

And because every non-human at the party was staring at us with a mixture of surprise, happiness, shock, and... discontent.

My dad looked like he wanted to rip Jake's drunken balls off.

If it wasn't my wedding day, I might have considered it.

But as it was...

_Oh, come on, dad. _I thought aloud. _You're going to be a grandpa!_

Across the room, my father pressed his face into the crook of my mom's neck.

My mother patted him affectionately.

And then I turned to Jake.

"I shouldn't have said that, should I?" he asked.

_Yeah, you fucked that up._

"Oh, bite me."

_With pleasure..._

* * *

Okay, m'dears. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to those of you who've stuck with me since October/November - you know who you are, and you rock m'sox off.

So next project... I'm working on an Edward AU - and I'm going to try and write the whole thing before I post. I've already written 20k... so we'll see. I keep having to go back and edit and delete, etc. - because the plot keeps thickening, so I'm having loads of fun, but anyway. Muchos amores! I love you all. Thank you for your lovely reviews!

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